diff --git a/net/core/link_watch.c b/net/core/link_watch.c
index a19f21403339..7be5b3ab32bd 100644
--- a/net/core/link_watch.c
+++ b/net/core/link_watch.c
@@ -192,8 +192,6 @@ static void __linkwatch_run_queue(int urgent_only)
 #define MAX_DO_DEV_PER_LOOP	100
 
 	int do_dev = MAX_DO_DEV_PER_LOOP;
-	struct net_device *dev;
-	LIST_HEAD(wrk);
 
 	/* Give urgent case more budget */
 	if (urgent_only)
@@ -215,11 +213,11 @@ static void __linkwatch_run_queue(int urgent_only)
 	clear_bit(LW_URGENT, &linkwatch_flags);
 
 	spin_lock_irq(&lweventlist_lock);
-	list_splice_init(&lweventlist, &wrk);
+	while (!list_empty(&lweventlist) && do_dev > 0) {
+		struct net_device *dev;
 
-	while (!list_empty(&wrk) && do_dev > 0) {
-
-		dev = list_first_entry(&wrk, struct net_device, link_watch_list);
+		dev = list_first_entry(&lweventlist, struct net_device,
+				       link_watch_list);
 		list_del_init(&dev->link_watch_list);
 
 		if (!netif_device_present(dev) ||
@@ -237,9 +235,6 @@ static void __linkwatch_run_queue(int urgent_only)
 		spin_lock_irq(&lweventlist_lock);
 	}
 
-	/* Add the remaining work back to lweventlist */
-	list_splice_init(&wrk, &lweventlist);
-
 	if (!list_empty(&lweventlist))
 		linkwatch_schedule_work(0);
 	spin_unlock_irq(&lweventlist_lock);