--- x/net/batman-adv/bridge_loop_avoidance.c
+++ y/net/batman-adv/bridge_loop_avoidance.c
@@ -1224,6 +1224,7 @@ static void batadv_bla_purge_backbone_gw
 	struct batadv_hashtable *hash;
 	spinlock_t *list_lock;	/* protects write access to the hash lists */
 	int i;
+	int rounds = 0;
 
 	hash = bat_priv->bla.backbone_hash;
 	if (!hash)
@@ -1236,6 +1237,10 @@ static void batadv_bla_purge_backbone_gw
 		spin_lock_bh(list_lock);
 		hlist_for_each_entry_safe(backbone_gw, node_tmp,
 					  head, hash_entry) {
+			if (rounds++ > 50) {
+				spin_unlock_bh(list_lock);
+				return;
+			}
 			if (now)
 				goto purge_now;
 			if (!batadv_has_timed_out(backbone_gw->lasttime,
@@ -1278,6 +1283,7 @@ static void batadv_bla_purge_claims(stru
 	struct hlist_head *head;
 	struct batadv_hashtable *hash;
 	int i;
+	int rounds = 0;
 
 	hash = bat_priv->bla.claim_hash;
 	if (!hash)
@@ -1313,6 +1319,10 @@ purge_now:
 					      claim->addr, claim->vid);
 skip:
 			batadv_backbone_gw_put(backbone_gw);
+			if (rounds++ > 50) {
+				rcu_read_unlock();
+				return;
+			}
 		}
 		rcu_read_unlock();
 	}
@@ -1433,6 +1443,7 @@ static void batadv_bla_periodic_work(str
 	struct batadv_hard_iface *primary_if;
 	bool send_loopdetect = false;
 	int i;
+	int rounds = 0;
 
 	delayed_work = to_delayed_work(work);
 	priv_bla = container_of(delayed_work, struct batadv_priv_bla, work);
@@ -1472,6 +1483,10 @@ static void batadv_bla_periodic_work(str
 
 		rcu_read_lock();
 		hlist_for_each_entry_rcu(backbone_gw, head, hash_entry) {
+			if (rounds++ > 50) {
+				rcu_read_unlock();
+				goto out;
+			}
 			if (!batadv_compare_eth(backbone_gw->orig,
 						primary_if->net_dev->dev_addr))
 				continue;