diff --git a/fs/dlm/dlm_internal.h b/fs/dlm/dlm_internal.h
index 32d98e63d25e..0562099e60eb 100644
--- a/fs/dlm/dlm_internal.h
+++ b/fs/dlm/dlm_internal.h
@@ -660,6 +660,8 @@ struct dlm_ls {
 	const struct dlm_lockspace_ops *ls_ops;
 	void			*ls_ops_arg;
 
+	struct work_struct	ls_free_work;
+
 	int			ls_namelen;
 	char			ls_name[DLM_LOCKSPACE_LEN + 1];
 };
@@ -803,6 +805,8 @@ static inline void dlm_set_sbflags_val(struct dlm_lkb *lkb, uint32_t val)
 			  __DLM_SBF_MAX_BIT);
 }
 
+extern struct workqueue_struct *dlm_wq;
+
 int dlm_plock_init(void);
 void dlm_plock_exit(void);
 
diff --git a/fs/dlm/lockspace.c b/fs/dlm/lockspace.c
index bf14016d53e1..8afac6e2dff0 100644
--- a/fs/dlm/lockspace.c
+++ b/fs/dlm/lockspace.c
@@ -315,6 +315,44 @@ static int threads_start(void)
 	return error;
 }
 
+static int lkb_idr_free(struct dlm_lkb *lkb)
+{
+	if (lkb->lkb_lvbptr && test_bit(DLM_IFL_MSTCPY_BIT, &lkb->lkb_iflags))
+		dlm_free_lvb(lkb->lkb_lvbptr);
+
+	dlm_free_lkb(lkb);
+	return 0;
+}
+
+static void rhash_free_rsb(void *ptr, void *arg)
+{
+	struct dlm_rsb *rsb = ptr;
+
+	dlm_free_rsb(rsb);
+}
+
+static void free_lockspace(struct work_struct *work)
+{
+	struct dlm_ls *ls  = container_of(work, struct dlm_ls, ls_free_work);
+	struct dlm_lkb *lkb;
+	unsigned long id;
+
+	/*
+	 * Free all lkb's in xa
+	 */
+	xa_for_each(&ls->ls_lkbxa, id, lkb) {
+		lkb_idr_free(lkb);
+	}
+	xa_destroy(&ls->ls_lkbxa);
+
+	/*
+	 * Free all rsb's on rsbtbl
+	 */
+	rhashtable_free_and_destroy(&ls->ls_rsbtbl, rhash_free_rsb, NULL);
+
+	kfree(ls);
+}
+
 static int new_lockspace(const char *name, const char *cluster,
 			 uint32_t flags, int lvblen,
 			 const struct dlm_lockspace_ops *ops, void *ops_arg,
@@ -445,6 +483,8 @@ static int new_lockspace(const char *name, const char *cluster,
 	spin_lock_init(&ls->ls_cb_lock);
 	INIT_LIST_HEAD(&ls->ls_cb_delay);
 
+	INIT_WORK(&ls->ls_free_work, free_lockspace);
+
 	ls->ls_recoverd_task = NULL;
 	mutex_init(&ls->ls_recoverd_active);
 	spin_lock_init(&ls->ls_recover_lock);
@@ -627,15 +667,6 @@ int dlm_new_user_lockspace(const char *name, const char *cluster,
 				   ops_arg, ops_result, lockspace);
 }
 
-static int lkb_idr_free(struct dlm_lkb *lkb)
-{
-	if (lkb->lkb_lvbptr && test_bit(DLM_IFL_MSTCPY_BIT, &lkb->lkb_iflags))
-		dlm_free_lvb(lkb->lkb_lvbptr);
-
-	dlm_free_lkb(lkb);
-	return 0;
-}
-
 /* NOTE: We check the lkbxa here rather than the resource table.
    This is because there may be LKBs queued as ASTs that have been unlinked
    from their RSBs and are pending deletion once the AST has been delivered */
@@ -667,17 +698,8 @@ static int lockspace_busy(struct dlm_ls *ls, int force)
 	return rv;
 }
 
-static void rhash_free_rsb(void *ptr, void *arg)
-{
-	struct dlm_rsb *rsb = ptr;
-
-	dlm_free_rsb(rsb);
-}
-
 static int release_lockspace(struct dlm_ls *ls, int force)
 {
-	struct dlm_lkb *lkb;
-	unsigned long id;
 	int busy, rv;
 
 	busy = lockspace_busy(ls, force);
@@ -735,19 +757,6 @@ static int release_lockspace(struct dlm_ls *ls, int force)
 	xa_destroy(&ls->ls_recover_xa);
 	kfree(ls->ls_recover_buf);
 
-	/*
-	 * Free all lkb's in xa
-	 */
-	xa_for_each(&ls->ls_lkbxa, id, lkb) {
-		lkb_idr_free(lkb);
-	}
-	xa_destroy(&ls->ls_lkbxa);
-
-	/*
-	 * Free all rsb's on rsbtbl
-	 */
-	rhashtable_free_and_destroy(&ls->ls_rsbtbl, rhash_free_rsb, NULL);
-
 	/*
 	 * Free structures on any other lists
 	 */
@@ -757,9 +766,11 @@ static int release_lockspace(struct dlm_ls *ls, int force)
 	dlm_clear_members(ls);
 	dlm_clear_members_gone(ls);
 	kfree(ls->ls_node_array);
-	log_rinfo(ls, "release_lockspace final free");
-	kfree(ls);
 
+	log_rinfo(ls, "%s final free", __func__);
+
+	/* delayed free of data structures see free_lockspace() */
+	queue_work(dlm_wq, &ls->ls_free_work);
 	module_put(THIS_MODULE);
 	return 0;
 }
diff --git a/fs/dlm/main.c b/fs/dlm/main.c
index 6ca28299c9db..cb15db8ba9bf 100644
--- a/fs/dlm/main.c
+++ b/fs/dlm/main.c
@@ -22,6 +22,8 @@
 #define CREATE_TRACE_POINTS
 #include <trace/events/dlm.h>
 
+struct workqueue_struct *dlm_wq;
+
 static int __init init_dlm(void)
 {
 	int error;
@@ -50,10 +52,16 @@ static int __init init_dlm(void)
 	if (error)
 		goto out_user;
 
+	dlm_wq = alloc_workqueue("dlm_wq", 0, 0);
+	if (!dlm_wq)
+		goto out_plock;
+
 	printk("DLM installed\n");
 
 	return 0;
 
+ out_plock:
+	dlm_plock_exit();
  out_user:
 	dlm_user_exit();
  out_debug:
@@ -70,6 +78,8 @@ static int __init init_dlm(void)
 
 static void __exit exit_dlm(void)
 {
+	/* be sure every pending work e.g. freeing is done */
+	destroy_workqueue(dlm_wq);
 	dlm_plock_exit();
 	dlm_user_exit();
 	dlm_config_exit();