diff --git a/drivers/net/ovpn/peer.c b/drivers/net/ovpn/peer.c
index a37f89fffb02..24eb9d81429e 100644
--- a/drivers/net/ovpn/peer.c
+++ b/drivers/net/ovpn/peer.c
@@ -1353,8 +1353,7 @@ void ovpn_peer_keepalive_work(struct work_struct *work)
 	}
 
 	/* prevent rearming if the interface is being destroyed */
-	if (next_run > 0 &&
-	    READ_ONCE(ovpn->dev->reg_state) == NETREG_REGISTERED) {
+	if (next_run > 0) {
 		netdev_dbg(ovpn->dev,
 			   "scheduling keepalive work: now=%llu next_run=%llu delta=%llu\n",
 			   next_run, now, next_run - now);