diff --git a/sys/net/if.c b/sys/net/if.c
index 1d73c55aa69..760ae94e842 100644
--- a/sys/net/if.c
+++ b/sys/net/if.c
@@ -2904,11 +2904,8 @@ ifioctl(struct socket *so, u_long cmd, caddr_t data, struct thread *td)
 	case SIOCIFDESTROY:
 		error = priv_check(td, PRIV_NET_IFDESTROY);
 
-		if (error == 0) {
-			sx_xlock(&ifnet_detach_sxlock);
+		if (error == 0)
 			error = if_clone_destroy(ifr->ifr_name);
-			sx_xunlock(&ifnet_detach_sxlock);
-		}
 		goto out_noref;
 
 	case SIOCIFGCLONERS:
diff --git a/sys/net/if_clone.c b/sys/net/if_clone.c
index 4bc04130da1..db3db78c1b7 100644
--- a/sys/net/if_clone.c
+++ b/sys/net/if_clone.c
@@ -441,6 +441,14 @@ if_clone_destroyif_flags(struct if_clone *ifc, struct ifnet *ifp, uint32_t flags
 {
 	int err;
 
+	/*
+	 * XXXZL: To avoid racing with if_vmove() so that we will have
+	 * stable if_vnet.
+	 * This have a good effect, that is, the destroying of tightly
+	 * coupled cloned interfaces such as epair(4) is serialized,
+	 * although the driver is responsible to take care of that.
+	 */
+	sx_assert(&ifnet_detach_sxlock, SA_XLOCKED);
 	/*
 	 * Given that the cloned ifnet might be attached to a different
 	 * vnet from where its cloner was registered, we have to
@@ -467,7 +475,12 @@ if_clone_destroyif_flags(struct if_clone *ifc, struct ifnet *ifp, uint32_t flags
 int
 if_clone_destroyif(struct if_clone *ifc, struct ifnet *ifp)
 {
-	return (if_clone_destroyif_flags(ifc, ifp, 0));
+	int err;
+
+	sx_xlock(&ifnet_detach_sxlock);
+	err = if_clone_destroyif_flags(ifc, ifp, 0);
+	sx_xunlock(&ifnet_detach_sxlock);
+	return (err);
 }
 
 static struct if_clone *
@@ -670,9 +683,11 @@ if_clone_detach(struct if_clone *ifc)
 	V_if_cloners_count--;
 	IF_CLONERS_UNLOCK();
 
+	sx_xlock(&ifnet_detach_sxlock);
 	/* destroy all interfaces for this cloner */
 	while (!LIST_EMPTY(&ifc->ifc_iflist))
 		if_clone_destroyif_flags(ifc, LIST_FIRST(&ifc->ifc_iflist), IFC_F_FORCE);
+	sx_xunlock(&ifnet_detach_sxlock);
 
 	IF_CLONE_REMREF(ifc);
 }
diff --git a/sys/netlink/route/iface.c b/sys/netlink/route/iface.c
index 3e30d74a379..d449e4114f2 100644
--- a/sys/netlink/route/iface.c
+++ b/sys/netlink/route/iface.c
@@ -556,10 +556,7 @@ rtnl_handle_dellink(struct nlmsghdr *hdr, struct nlpcb *nlp, struct nl_pstate *n
 	}
 	NLP_LOG(LOG_DEBUG3, nlp, "mapped ifindex %u to %s", attrs.ifi_index, if_name(ifp));
 
-	sx_xlock(&ifnet_detach_sxlock);
 	error = if_clone_destroy(if_name(ifp));
-	sx_xunlock(&ifnet_detach_sxlock);
-
 	NLP_LOG(LOG_DEBUG2, nlp, "deleting interface %s returned %d", if_name(ifp), error);
 
 	if_rele(ifp);