--- net/core/link_watch.c.old	2003-12-26 20:38:25.000000000 +0100
+++ net/core/link_watch.c	2004-01-30 20:07:57.000000000 +0100
@@ -84,6 +84,8 @@
 
 static void linkwatch_event(void *dummy)
 {
+	if (rtnl_shlock_nowait()) goto out_err1;
+	if (rtnl_exlock_nowait()) goto out_err2;
 	/* Limit the number of linkwatch events to one
 	 * per second so that a runaway driver does not
 	 * cause a storm of messages on the netlink
@@ -92,11 +94,16 @@
 	linkwatch_nextevent = jiffies + HZ;
 	clear_bit(LW_RUNNING, &linkwatch_flags);
 
-	rtnl_shlock();
-	rtnl_exlock();
 	linkwatch_run_queue();
 	rtnl_exunlock();
 	rtnl_shunlock();
+
+	return;
+
+out_err2:
+	rtnl_shunlock();
+out_err1:
+	schedule_delayed_work(&linkwatch_work, HZ / 10);
 }