diff --git a/fs/dlm/lockspace.c b/fs/dlm/lockspace.c
index 561dcad08ad6e..c14cf2b7faab3 100644
--- a/fs/dlm/lockspace.c
+++ b/fs/dlm/lockspace.c
@@ -404,12 +404,6 @@ static int threads_start(void)
 	return error;
 }
 
-static void threads_stop(void)
-{
-	dlm_scand_stop();
-	dlm_lowcomms_stop();
-}
-
 static int new_lockspace(const char *name, const char *cluster,
 			 uint32_t flags, int lvblen,
 			 const struct dlm_lockspace_ops *ops, void *ops_arg,
@@ -702,8 +696,11 @@ int dlm_new_lockspace(const char *name, const char *cluster,
 		ls_count++;
 	if (error > 0)
 		error = 0;
-	if (!ls_count)
-		threads_stop();
+	if (!ls_count) {
+		dlm_scand_stop();
+		dlm_lowcomms_shutdown();
+		dlm_lowcomms_stop();
+	}
  out:
 	mutex_unlock(&ls_lock);
 	return error;
@@ -788,6 +785,11 @@ static int release_lockspace(struct dlm_ls *ls, int force)
 
 	dlm_recoverd_stop(ls);
 
+	if (ls_count == 1) {
+		dlm_scand_stop();
+		dlm_lowcomms_shutdown();
+	}
+
 	dlm_callback_stop(ls);
 
 	remove_lockspace(ls);
@@ -880,7 +882,7 @@ int dlm_release_lockspace(void *lockspace, int force)
 	if (!error)
 		ls_count--;
 	if (!ls_count)
-		threads_stop();
+		dlm_lowcomms_stop();
 	mutex_unlock(&ls_lock);
 
 	return error;
diff --git a/fs/dlm/lowcomms.c b/fs/dlm/lowcomms.c
index 5fe571e44b1a2..45c2fdaf34c4d 100644
--- a/fs/dlm/lowcomms.c
+++ b/fs/dlm/lowcomms.c
@@ -1608,6 +1608,29 @@ static int work_start(void)
 	return 0;
 }
 
+static void shutdown_conn(struct connection *con)
+{
+	if (con->shutdown_action)
+		con->shutdown_action(con);
+}
+
+void dlm_lowcomms_shutdown(void)
+{
+	/* Set all the flags to prevent any
+	 * socket activity.
+	 */
+	dlm_allow_conn = 0;
+
+	if (recv_workqueue)
+		flush_workqueue(recv_workqueue);
+	if (send_workqueue)
+		flush_workqueue(send_workqueue);
+
+	dlm_close_sock(&listen_con.sock);
+
+	foreach_conn(shutdown_conn);
+}
+
 static void _stop_conn(struct connection *con, bool and_other)
 {
 	mutex_lock(&con->sock_mutex);
@@ -1629,12 +1652,6 @@ static void stop_conn(struct connection *con)
 	_stop_conn(con, true);
 }
 
-static void shutdown_conn(struct connection *con)
-{
-	if (con->shutdown_action)
-		con->shutdown_action(con);
-}
-
 static void connection_release(struct rcu_head *rcu)
 {
 	struct connection *con = container_of(rcu, struct connection, rcu);
@@ -1691,19 +1708,6 @@ static void work_flush(void)
 
 void dlm_lowcomms_stop(void)
 {
-	/* Set all the flags to prevent any
-	   socket activity.
-	*/
-	dlm_allow_conn = 0;
-
-	if (recv_workqueue)
-		flush_workqueue(recv_workqueue);
-	if (send_workqueue)
-		flush_workqueue(send_workqueue);
-
-	dlm_close_sock(&listen_con.sock);
-
-	foreach_conn(shutdown_conn);
 	work_flush();
 	foreach_conn(free_conn);
 	work_stop();
diff --git a/fs/dlm/lowcomms.h b/fs/dlm/lowcomms.h
index bcd4dbd1dc98b..48bbc4e187619 100644
--- a/fs/dlm/lowcomms.h
+++ b/fs/dlm/lowcomms.h
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@
 extern int dlm_allow_conn;
 
 int dlm_lowcomms_start(void);
+void dlm_lowcomms_shutdown(void);
 void dlm_lowcomms_stop(void);
 void dlm_lowcomms_exit(void);
 int dlm_lowcomms_close(int nodeid);