diff --git a/net/netfilter/ipvs/ip_vs_conn.c b/net/netfilter/ipvs/ip_vs_conn.c
index 02f2f636798d11..b3921ae927407f 100644
--- a/net/netfilter/ipvs/ip_vs_conn.c
+++ b/net/netfilter/ipvs/ip_vs_conn.c
@@ -807,6 +807,31 @@ static void ip_vs_conn_rcu_free(struct rcu_head *head)
 	kmem_cache_free(ip_vs_conn_cachep, cp);
 }
 
+/* Try to delete connection while not holding reference */
+static void ip_vs_conn_del(struct ip_vs_conn *cp)
+{
+	if (del_timer(&cp->timer)) {
+		/* Drop cp->control chain too */
+		if (cp->control)
+			cp->timeout = 0;
+		ip_vs_conn_expire(&cp->timer);
+	}
+}
+
+/* Try to delete connection while holding reference */
+static void ip_vs_conn_del_put(struct ip_vs_conn *cp)
+{
+	if (del_timer(&cp->timer)) {
+		/* Drop cp->control chain too */
+		if (cp->control)
+			cp->timeout = 0;
+		__ip_vs_conn_put(cp);
+		ip_vs_conn_expire(&cp->timer);
+	} else {
+		__ip_vs_conn_put(cp);
+	}
+}
+
 static void ip_vs_conn_expire(struct timer_list *t)
 {
 	struct ip_vs_conn *cp = from_timer(cp, t, timer);
@@ -827,14 +852,17 @@ static void ip_vs_conn_expire(struct timer_list *t)
 
 		/* does anybody control me? */
 		if (ct) {
+			bool has_ref = !cp->timeout && __ip_vs_conn_get(ct);
+
 			ip_vs_control_del(cp);
 			/* Drop CTL or non-assured TPL if not used anymore */
-			if (!cp->timeout && !atomic_read(&ct->n_control) &&
+			if (has_ref && !atomic_read(&ct->n_control) &&
 			    (!(ct->flags & IP_VS_CONN_F_TEMPLATE) ||
 			     !(ct->state & IP_VS_CTPL_S_ASSURED))) {
 				IP_VS_DBG(4, "drop controlling connection\n");
-				ct->timeout = 0;
-				ip_vs_conn_expire_now(ct);
+				ip_vs_conn_del_put(ct);
+			} else if (has_ref) {
+				__ip_vs_conn_put(ct);
 			}
 		}
 
@@ -1317,8 +1345,7 @@ void ip_vs_random_dropentry(struct netns_ipvs *ipvs)
 
 drop:
 			IP_VS_DBG(4, "drop connection\n");
-			cp->timeout = 0;
-			ip_vs_conn_expire_now(cp);
+			ip_vs_conn_del(cp);
 		}
 		cond_resched_rcu();
 	}
@@ -1341,19 +1368,15 @@ static void ip_vs_conn_flush(struct netns_ipvs *ipvs)
 		hlist_for_each_entry_rcu(cp, &ip_vs_conn_tab[idx], c_list) {
 			if (cp->ipvs != ipvs)
 				continue;
-			/* As timers are expired in LIFO order, restart
-			 * the timer of controlling connection first, so
-			 * that it is expired after us.
-			 */
+			if (atomic_read(&cp->n_control))
+				continue;
 			cp_c = cp->control;
-			/* cp->control is valid only with reference to cp */
-			if (cp_c && __ip_vs_conn_get(cp)) {
+			IP_VS_DBG(4, "del connection\n");
+			ip_vs_conn_del(cp);
+			if (cp_c && !atomic_read(&cp_c->n_control)) {
 				IP_VS_DBG(4, "del controlling connection\n");
-				ip_vs_conn_expire_now(cp_c);
-				__ip_vs_conn_put(cp);
+				ip_vs_conn_del(cp_c);
 			}
-			IP_VS_DBG(4, "del connection\n");
-			ip_vs_conn_expire_now(cp);
 		}
 		cond_resched_rcu();
 	}
diff --git a/net/netfilter/ipvs/ip_vs_ctl.c b/net/netfilter/ipvs/ip_vs_ctl.c
index 0eed388c960bde..4af83f466dfc2c 100644
--- a/net/netfilter/ipvs/ip_vs_ctl.c
+++ b/net/netfilter/ipvs/ip_vs_ctl.c
@@ -224,7 +224,8 @@ static void defense_work_handler(struct work_struct *work)
 	update_defense_level(ipvs);
 	if (atomic_read(&ipvs->dropentry))
 		ip_vs_random_dropentry(ipvs);
-	schedule_delayed_work(&ipvs->defense_work, DEFENSE_TIMER_PERIOD);
+	queue_delayed_work(system_long_wq, &ipvs->defense_work,
+			   DEFENSE_TIMER_PERIOD);
 }
 #endif
 
@@ -4082,7 +4083,8 @@ static int __net_init ip_vs_control_net_init_sysctl(struct netns_ipvs *ipvs)
 	ipvs->sysctl_tbl = tbl;
 	/* Schedule defense work */
 	INIT_DELAYED_WORK(&ipvs->defense_work, defense_work_handler);
-	schedule_delayed_work(&ipvs->defense_work, DEFENSE_TIMER_PERIOD);
+	queue_delayed_work(system_long_wq, &ipvs->defense_work,
+			   DEFENSE_TIMER_PERIOD);
 
 	return 0;
 }