diff --git a/net/wireless/wext-core.c b/net/wireless/wext-core.c
index 544d7b62d7ca..5e677dac2a0c 100644
--- a/net/wireless/wext-core.c
+++ b/net/wireless/wext-core.c
@@ -347,8 +347,6 @@ void wireless_nlevent_flush(void)
 	struct sk_buff *skb;
 	struct net *net;
 
-	ASSERT_RTNL();
-
 	down_read(&net_rwsem);
 	for_each_net(net) {
 		while ((skb = skb_dequeue(&net->wext_nlevents)))
@@ -412,9 +410,7 @@ subsys_initcall(wireless_nlevent_init);
 /* Process events generated by the wireless layer or the driver. */
 static void wireless_nlevent_process(struct work_struct *work)
 {
-	rtnl_lock();
 	wireless_nlevent_flush();
-	rtnl_unlock();
 }
 
 static DECLARE_WORK(wireless_nlevent_work, wireless_nlevent_process);