diff --git a/sys/net/if_bridge.c b/sys/net/if_bridge.c
index 4e2aa802bdb..2eb74088f85 100644
--- a/sys/net/if_bridge.c
+++ b/sys/net/if_bridge.c
@@ -859,6 +859,9 @@ bridge_delete_member(struct bridge_softc *sc, struct bridge_iflist *bif,
 
 	bridge_rtdelete(sc, ifs, IFBF_FLUSHALL);
 
+	BRIDGE_UNLOCK(sc);
+	bstp_drain(&bif->bif_stp);      /* prepare to free */
+	BRIDGE_LOCK(sc);
 	free(bif, M_DEVBUF);
 }