diff --git a/net/batman-adv/main.c b/net/batman-adv/main.c
index 75750870cf048e6beb39fdf311883449a9c73731..f8725786b5961ac3b663bf22c16738a8a55e51c8 100644
--- a/net/batman-adv/main.c
+++ b/net/batman-adv/main.c
@@ -161,6 +161,7 @@ int batadv_mesh_init(struct net_device *soft_iface)
 	spin_lock_init(&bat_priv->tt.commit_lock);
 	spin_lock_init(&bat_priv->gw.list_lock);
 #ifdef CONFIG_BATMAN_ADV_MCAST
+	spin_lock_init(&bat_priv->mcast.mla_lock);
 	spin_lock_init(&bat_priv->mcast.want_lists_lock);
 #endif
 	spin_lock_init(&bat_priv->tvlv.container_list_lock);
diff --git a/net/batman-adv/multicast.c b/net/batman-adv/multicast.c
index f91b1b6265cfea6d0f4d056defe30eeed452270e..1b985ab89c0879e7be782f11db6e52e5fc4f6332 100644
--- a/net/batman-adv/multicast.c
+++ b/net/batman-adv/multicast.c
@@ -325,8 +325,6 @@ static void batadv_mcast_mla_list_free(struct hlist_head *mcast_list)
  * translation table except the ones listed in the given mcast_list.
  *
  * If mcast_list is NULL then all are retracted.
- *
- * Do not call outside of the mcast worker! (or cancel mcast worker first)
  */
 static void batadv_mcast_mla_tt_retract(struct batadv_priv *bat_priv,
 					struct hlist_head *mcast_list)
@@ -334,8 +332,6 @@ static void batadv_mcast_mla_tt_retract(struct batadv_priv *bat_priv,
 	struct batadv_hw_addr *mcast_entry;
 	struct hlist_node *tmp;
 
-	WARN_ON(delayed_work_pending(&bat_priv->mcast.work));
-
 	hlist_for_each_entry_safe(mcast_entry, tmp, &bat_priv->mcast.mla_list,
 				  list) {
 		if (mcast_list &&
@@ -359,8 +355,6 @@ static void batadv_mcast_mla_tt_retract(struct batadv_priv *bat_priv,
  *
  * Adds multicast listener announcements from the given mcast_list to the
  * translation table if they have not been added yet.
- *
- * Do not call outside of the mcast worker! (or cancel mcast worker first)
  */
 static void batadv_mcast_mla_tt_add(struct batadv_priv *bat_priv,
 				    struct hlist_head *mcast_list)
@@ -368,8 +362,6 @@ static void batadv_mcast_mla_tt_add(struct batadv_priv *bat_priv,
 	struct batadv_hw_addr *mcast_entry;
 	struct hlist_node *tmp;
 
-	WARN_ON(delayed_work_pending(&bat_priv->mcast.work));
-
 	if (!mcast_list)
 		return;
 
@@ -658,7 +650,10 @@ static void batadv_mcast_mla_update(struct work_struct *work)
 	priv_mcast = container_of(delayed_work, struct batadv_priv_mcast, work);
 	bat_priv = container_of(priv_mcast, struct batadv_priv, mcast);
 
+	spin_lock(&bat_priv->mcast.mla_lock);
 	__batadv_mcast_mla_update(bat_priv);
+	spin_unlock(&bat_priv->mcast.mla_lock);
+
 	batadv_mcast_start_timer(bat_priv);
 }
 
diff --git a/net/batman-adv/types.h b/net/batman-adv/types.h
index a21b34ed6548f4017ce3bf58949f2d758a9c84a8..ed0f6a519de55cb9cbab447a4ab8f885da56da8c 100644
--- a/net/batman-adv/types.h
+++ b/net/batman-adv/types.h
@@ -1223,6 +1223,11 @@ struct batadv_priv_mcast {
 	/** @bridged: whether the soft interface has a bridge on top */
 	unsigned char bridged:1;
 
+	/**
+	 * @mla_lock: a lock protecting mla_list and mla_flags
+	 */
+	spinlock_t mla_lock;
+
 	/**
 	 * @num_want_all_unsnoopables: number of nodes wanting unsnoopable IP
 	 *  traffic