diff --git a/drivers/net/ethernet/mellanox/mlx5/core/devlink.c b/drivers/net/ethernet/mellanox/mlx5/core/devlink.c
index 26091e7536d3..2c0e0c16ca90 100644
--- a/drivers/net/ethernet/mellanox/mlx5/core/devlink.c
+++ b/drivers/net/ethernet/mellanox/mlx5/core/devlink.c
@@ -160,7 +160,7 @@ static int mlx5_devlink_reload_fw_activate(struct devlink *devlink, struct netli
 	if (err)
 		return err;
 
-	mlx5_unload_one_devl_locked(dev, false);
+	mlx5_sync_reset_unload_flow(dev, true);
 	err = mlx5_health_wait_pci_up(dev);
 	if (err)
 		NL_SET_ERR_MSG_MOD(extack, "FW activate aborted, PCI reads fail after reset");
diff --git a/drivers/net/ethernet/mellanox/mlx5/core/fw_reset.c b/drivers/net/ethernet/mellanox/mlx5/core/fw_reset.c
index 69933addd921..38b9b184ae01 100644
--- a/drivers/net/ethernet/mellanox/mlx5/core/fw_reset.c
+++ b/drivers/net/ethernet/mellanox/mlx5/core/fw_reset.c
@@ -12,7 +12,8 @@ enum {
 	MLX5_FW_RESET_FLAGS_NACK_RESET_REQUEST,
 	MLX5_FW_RESET_FLAGS_PENDING_COMP,
 	MLX5_FW_RESET_FLAGS_DROP_NEW_REQUESTS,
-	MLX5_FW_RESET_FLAGS_RELOAD_REQUIRED
+	MLX5_FW_RESET_FLAGS_RELOAD_REQUIRED,
+	MLX5_FW_RESET_FLAGS_UNLOAD_EVENT,
 };
 
 struct mlx5_fw_reset {
@@ -219,7 +220,7 @@ int mlx5_fw_reset_set_live_patch(struct mlx5_core_dev *dev)
 	return mlx5_reg_mfrl_set(dev, MLX5_MFRL_REG_RESET_LEVEL0, 0, 0, false);
 }
 
-static void mlx5_fw_reset_complete_reload(struct mlx5_core_dev *dev, bool unloaded)
+static void mlx5_fw_reset_complete_reload(struct mlx5_core_dev *dev)
 {
 	struct mlx5_fw_reset *fw_reset = dev->priv.fw_reset;
 	struct devlink *devlink = priv_to_devlink(dev);
@@ -228,8 +229,7 @@ static void mlx5_fw_reset_complete_reload(struct mlx5_core_dev *dev, bool unload
 	if (test_bit(MLX5_FW_RESET_FLAGS_PENDING_COMP, &fw_reset->reset_flags)) {
 		complete(&fw_reset->done);
 	} else {
-		if (!unloaded)
-			mlx5_unload_one(dev, false);
+		mlx5_sync_reset_unload_flow(dev, false);
 		if (mlx5_health_wait_pci_up(dev))
 			mlx5_core_err(dev, "reset reload flow aborted, PCI reads still not working\n");
 		else
@@ -272,7 +272,7 @@ static void mlx5_sync_reset_reload_work(struct work_struct *work)
 
 	mlx5_sync_reset_clear_reset_requested(dev, false);
 	mlx5_enter_error_state(dev, true);
-	mlx5_fw_reset_complete_reload(dev, false);
+	mlx5_fw_reset_complete_reload(dev);
 }
 
 #define MLX5_RESET_POLL_INTERVAL	(HZ / 10)
@@ -586,65 +586,23 @@ static int mlx5_sync_pci_reset(struct mlx5_core_dev *dev, u8 reset_method)
 	return err;
 }
 
-static void mlx5_sync_reset_now_event(struct work_struct *work)
+void mlx5_sync_reset_unload_flow(struct mlx5_core_dev *dev, bool locked)
 {
-	struct mlx5_fw_reset *fw_reset = container_of(work, struct mlx5_fw_reset,
-						      reset_now_work);
-	struct mlx5_core_dev *dev = fw_reset->dev;
-	int err;
-
-	if (mlx5_sync_reset_clear_reset_requested(dev, false))
-		return;
-
-	mlx5_core_warn(dev, "Sync Reset now. Device is going to reset.\n");
-
-	err = mlx5_cmd_fast_teardown_hca(dev);
-	if (err) {
-		mlx5_core_warn(dev, "Fast teardown failed, no reset done, err %d\n", err);
-		goto done;
-	}
-
-	err = mlx5_sync_pci_reset(dev, fw_reset->reset_method);
-	if (err) {
-		mlx5_core_warn(dev, "mlx5_sync_pci_reset failed, no reset done, err %d\n", err);
-		set_bit(MLX5_FW_RESET_FLAGS_RELOAD_REQUIRED, &fw_reset->reset_flags);
-	}
-
-	mlx5_enter_error_state(dev, true);
-done:
-	fw_reset->ret = err;
-	mlx5_fw_reset_complete_reload(dev, false);
-}
-
-static void mlx5_sync_reset_unload_event(struct work_struct *work)
-{
-	struct mlx5_fw_reset *fw_reset;
-	struct mlx5_core_dev *dev;
+	struct mlx5_fw_reset *fw_reset = dev->priv.fw_reset;
 	unsigned long timeout;
 	int poll_freq = 20;
 	bool reset_action;
 	u8 rst_state;
 	int err;
 
-	fw_reset = container_of(work, struct mlx5_fw_reset, reset_unload_work);
-	dev = fw_reset->dev;
-
-	if (mlx5_sync_reset_clear_reset_requested(dev, false))
-		return;
-
-	mlx5_core_warn(dev, "Sync Reset Unload. Function is forced down.\n");
-
-	err = mlx5_cmd_fast_teardown_hca(dev);
-	if (err)
-		mlx5_core_warn(dev, "Fast teardown failed, unloading, err %d\n", err);
-	else
-		mlx5_enter_error_state(dev, true);
-
-	if (test_bit(MLX5_FW_RESET_FLAGS_PENDING_COMP, &fw_reset->reset_flags))
+	if (locked)
 		mlx5_unload_one_devl_locked(dev, false);
 	else
 		mlx5_unload_one(dev, false);
 
+	if (!test_bit(MLX5_FW_RESET_FLAGS_UNLOAD_EVENT, &fw_reset->reset_flags))
+		return;
+
 	mlx5_set_fw_rst_ack(dev);
 	mlx5_core_warn(dev, "Sync Reset Unload done, device reset expected\n");
 
@@ -672,17 +630,73 @@ static void mlx5_sync_reset_unload_event(struct work_struct *work)
 		goto done;
 	}
 
-	mlx5_core_warn(dev, "Sync Reset, got reset action. rst_state = %u\n", rst_state);
+	mlx5_core_warn(dev, "Sync Reset, got reset action. rst_state = %u\n",
+		       rst_state);
 	if (rst_state == MLX5_FW_RST_STATE_TOGGLE_REQ) {
 		err = mlx5_sync_pci_reset(dev, fw_reset->reset_method);
 		if (err) {
-			mlx5_core_warn(dev, "mlx5_sync_pci_reset failed, err %d\n", err);
+			mlx5_core_warn(dev, "mlx5_sync_pci_reset failed, err %d\n",
+				       err);
 			fw_reset->ret = err;
 		}
 	}
 
 done:
-	mlx5_fw_reset_complete_reload(dev, true);
+	clear_bit(MLX5_FW_RESET_FLAGS_UNLOAD_EVENT, &fw_reset->reset_flags);
+}
+
+static void mlx5_sync_reset_now_event(struct work_struct *work)
+{
+	struct mlx5_fw_reset *fw_reset = container_of(work, struct mlx5_fw_reset,
+						      reset_now_work);
+	struct mlx5_core_dev *dev = fw_reset->dev;
+	int err;
+
+	if (mlx5_sync_reset_clear_reset_requested(dev, false))
+		return;
+
+	mlx5_core_warn(dev, "Sync Reset now. Device is going to reset.\n");
+
+	err = mlx5_cmd_fast_teardown_hca(dev);
+	if (err) {
+		mlx5_core_warn(dev, "Fast teardown failed, no reset done, err %d\n", err);
+		goto done;
+	}
+
+	err = mlx5_sync_pci_reset(dev, fw_reset->reset_method);
+	if (err) {
+		mlx5_core_warn(dev, "mlx5_sync_pci_reset failed, no reset done, err %d\n", err);
+		set_bit(MLX5_FW_RESET_FLAGS_RELOAD_REQUIRED, &fw_reset->reset_flags);
+	}
+
+	mlx5_enter_error_state(dev, true);
+done:
+	fw_reset->ret = err;
+	mlx5_fw_reset_complete_reload(dev);
+}
+
+static void mlx5_sync_reset_unload_event(struct work_struct *work)
+{
+	struct mlx5_fw_reset *fw_reset;
+	struct mlx5_core_dev *dev;
+	int err;
+
+	fw_reset = container_of(work, struct mlx5_fw_reset, reset_unload_work);
+	dev = fw_reset->dev;
+
+	if (mlx5_sync_reset_clear_reset_requested(dev, false))
+		return;
+
+	set_bit(MLX5_FW_RESET_FLAGS_UNLOAD_EVENT, &fw_reset->reset_flags);
+	mlx5_core_warn(dev, "Sync Reset Unload. Function is forced down.\n");
+
+	err = mlx5_cmd_fast_teardown_hca(dev);
+	if (err)
+		mlx5_core_warn(dev, "Fast teardown failed, unloading, err %d\n", err);
+	else
+		mlx5_enter_error_state(dev, true);
+
+	mlx5_fw_reset_complete_reload(dev);
 }
 
 static void mlx5_sync_reset_abort_event(struct work_struct *work)
diff --git a/drivers/net/ethernet/mellanox/mlx5/core/fw_reset.h b/drivers/net/ethernet/mellanox/mlx5/core/fw_reset.h
index ea527d06a85f..d5b28525c960 100644
--- a/drivers/net/ethernet/mellanox/mlx5/core/fw_reset.h
+++ b/drivers/net/ethernet/mellanox/mlx5/core/fw_reset.h
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@ int mlx5_fw_reset_set_reset_sync(struct mlx5_core_dev *dev, u8 reset_type_sel,
 int mlx5_fw_reset_set_live_patch(struct mlx5_core_dev *dev);
 
 int mlx5_fw_reset_wait_reset_done(struct mlx5_core_dev *dev);
+void mlx5_sync_reset_unload_flow(struct mlx5_core_dev *dev, bool locked);
 int mlx5_fw_reset_verify_fw_complete(struct mlx5_core_dev *dev,
 				     struct netlink_ext_ack *extack);
 void mlx5_fw_reset_events_start(struct mlx5_core_dev *dev);