diff --git a/drivers/gpu/drm/drm_connector.c b/drivers/gpu/drm/drm_connector.c
index 25f4b2e9a44f..482014137953 100644
--- a/drivers/gpu/drm/drm_connector.c
+++ b/drivers/gpu/drm/drm_connector.c
@@ -152,6 +152,16 @@ static void drm_connector_free(struct kref *kref)
 	connector->funcs->destroy(connector);
 }
 
+static void drm_connector_free_work_fn(struct work_struct *work)
+{
+	struct drm_connector *connector =
+		container_of(work, struct drm_connector, free_work);
+	struct drm_device *dev = connector->dev;
+
+	drm_mode_object_unregister(dev, &connector->base);
+	connector->funcs->destroy(connector);
+}
+
 /**
  * drm_connector_init - Init a preallocated connector
  * @dev: DRM device
@@ -181,6 +191,8 @@ int drm_connector_init(struct drm_device *dev,
 	if (ret)
 		return ret;
 
+	INIT_WORK(&connector->free_work, drm_connector_free_work_fn);
+
 	connector->base.properties = &connector->properties;
 	connector->dev = dev;
 	connector->funcs = funcs;
@@ -529,6 +541,18 @@ void drm_connector_list_iter_begin(struct drm_device *dev,
 }
 EXPORT_SYMBOL(drm_connector_list_iter_begin);
 
+/*
+ * Extra-safe connector put function that works in any context. Should only be
+ * used from the connector_iter functions, where we never really expect to
+ * actually release the connector when dropping our final reference.
+ */
+static void
+drm_connector_put_safe(struct drm_connector *conn)
+{
+	if (refcount_dec_and_test(&conn->base.refcount.refcount))
+		schedule_work(&conn->free_work);
+}
+
 /**
  * drm_connector_list_iter_next - return next connector
  * @iter: connectr_list iterator
@@ -561,7 +585,7 @@ drm_connector_list_iter_next(struct drm_connector_list_iter *iter)
 	spin_unlock_irqrestore(&config->connector_list_lock, flags);
 
 	if (old_conn)
-		drm_connector_put(old_conn);
+		drm_connector_put_safe(old_conn);
 
 	return iter->conn;
 }
@@ -580,7 +604,7 @@ void drm_connector_list_iter_end(struct drm_connector_list_iter *iter)
 {
 	iter->dev = NULL;
 	if (iter->conn)
-		drm_connector_put(iter->conn);
+		drm_connector_put_safe(iter->conn);
 	lock_release(&connector_list_iter_dep_map, 0, _RET_IP_);
 }
 EXPORT_SYMBOL(drm_connector_list_iter_end);
diff --git a/drivers/gpu/drm/drm_mode_config.c b/drivers/gpu/drm/drm_mode_config.c
index cda8bfab6d3b..cc78b3d9e5e4 100644
--- a/drivers/gpu/drm/drm_mode_config.c
+++ b/drivers/gpu/drm/drm_mode_config.c
@@ -431,6 +431,8 @@ void drm_mode_config_cleanup(struct drm_device *dev)
 		drm_connector_put(connector);
 	}
 	drm_connector_list_iter_end(&conn_iter);
+	/* connector_iter drops references in a work item. */
+	flush_scheduled_work();
 	if (WARN_ON(!list_empty(&dev->mode_config.connector_list))) {
 		drm_connector_list_iter_begin(dev, &conn_iter);
 		drm_for_each_connector_iter(connector, &conn_iter)
diff --git a/include/drm/drm_connector.h b/include/drm/drm_connector.h
index df9807a3caae..a4649c56ca2f 100644
--- a/include/drm/drm_connector.h
+++ b/include/drm/drm_connector.h
@@ -916,6 +916,14 @@ struct drm_connector {
 	uint8_t num_h_tile, num_v_tile;
 	uint8_t tile_h_loc, tile_v_loc;
 	uint16_t tile_h_size, tile_v_size;
+
+	/**
+	 * @free_work:
+	 *
+	 * Work used only by &drm_connector_iter to be able to clean up a
+	 * connector from any context.
+	 */
+	struct work_struct free_work;
 };
 
 #define obj_to_connector(x) container_of(x, struct drm_connector, base)