diff --git a/sys/net/if.h b/sys/net/if.h
--- a/sys/net/if.h
+++ b/sys/net/if.h
@@ -604,6 +604,9 @@
 MALLOC_DECLARE(M_IFADDR);
 MALLOC_DECLARE(M_IFMADDR);
 #endif
+
+extern struct sx ifnet_detach_sxlock;
+
 #endif
 
 #ifndef _KERNEL
diff --git a/sys/net/if.c b/sys/net/if.c
--- a/sys/net/if.c
+++ b/sys/net/if.c
@@ -315,7 +315,8 @@
 SX_SYSINIT_FLAGS(ifnet_sx, &ifnet_sxlock, "ifnet_sx", SX_RECURSE);
 
 struct sx ifnet_detach_sxlock;
-SX_SYSINIT(ifnet_detach, &ifnet_detach_sxlock, "ifnet_detach_sx");
+SX_SYSINIT_FLAGS(ifnet_detach, &ifnet_detach_sxlock, "ifnet_detach_sx",
+    SX_RECURSE);
 
 /*
  * The allocation of network interfaces is a rather non-atomic affair; we
@@ -546,9 +547,7 @@
 	IFNET_WUNLOCK();
 
 	for (int j = 0; j < i; j++) {
-		sx_xlock(&ifnet_detach_sxlock);
 		if_vmove(pending[j], pending[j]->if_home_vnet);
-		sx_xunlock(&ifnet_detach_sxlock);
 	}
 
 	free(pending, M_IFNET);
@@ -1124,9 +1123,9 @@
 	CURVNET_SET_QUIET(ifp->if_vnet);
 	found = if_unlink_ifnet(ifp, false);
 	if (found) {
-		sx_slock(&ifnet_detach_sxlock);
+		sx_xlock(&ifnet_detach_sxlock);
 		if_detach_internal(ifp, 0, NULL);
-		sx_sunlock(&ifnet_detach_sxlock);
+		sx_xunlock(&ifnet_detach_sxlock);
 	}
 	CURVNET_RESTORE();
 }
@@ -3015,9 +3014,9 @@
 		error = priv_check(td, PRIV_NET_IFDESTROY);
 
 		if (error == 0) {
-			sx_slock(&ifnet_detach_sxlock);
+			sx_xlock(&ifnet_detach_sxlock);
 			error = if_clone_destroy(ifr->ifr_name);
-			sx_sunlock(&ifnet_detach_sxlock);
+			sx_xunlock(&ifnet_detach_sxlock);
 		}
 		goto out_noref;
 
diff --git a/sys/net/vnet.c b/sys/net/vnet.c
--- a/sys/net/vnet.c
+++ b/sys/net/vnet.c
@@ -283,7 +283,9 @@
 	vnet->vnet_shutdown = true;
 
 	CURVNET_SET_QUIET(vnet);
+	sx_xlock(&ifnet_detach_sxlock);
 	vnet_sysuninit();
+	sx_xunlock(&ifnet_detach_sxlock);
 	CURVNET_RESTORE();
 
 	/*