diff --git a/net/mac802154/ieee802154_i.h b/net/mac802154/ieee802154_i.h
index 509e0172fe82..aeadee543a9c 100644
--- a/net/mac802154/ieee802154_i.h
+++ b/net/mac802154/ieee802154_i.h
@@ -141,10 +141,16 @@ int ieee802154_mlme_op_pre(struct ieee802154_local *local);
 int ieee802154_mlme_tx(struct ieee802154_local *local,
 		       struct ieee802154_sub_if_data *sdata,
 		       struct sk_buff *skb);
+int ieee802154_mlme_tx_locked(struct ieee802154_local *local,
+			      struct ieee802154_sub_if_data *sdata,
+			      struct sk_buff *skb);
 void ieee802154_mlme_op_post(struct ieee802154_local *local);
 int ieee802154_mlme_tx_one(struct ieee802154_local *local,
 			   struct ieee802154_sub_if_data *sdata,
 			   struct sk_buff *skb);
+int ieee802154_mlme_tx_one_locked(struct ieee802154_local *local,
+				  struct ieee802154_sub_if_data *sdata,
+				  struct sk_buff *skb);
 netdev_tx_t
 ieee802154_monitor_start_xmit(struct sk_buff *skb, struct net_device *dev);
 netdev_tx_t
diff --git a/net/mac802154/tx.c b/net/mac802154/tx.c
index 9d8d43cf1e64..2a6f1ed763c9 100644
--- a/net/mac802154/tx.c
+++ b/net/mac802154/tx.c
@@ -137,34 +137,37 @@ int ieee802154_mlme_op_pre(struct ieee802154_local *local)
 	return ieee802154_sync_and_hold_queue(local);
 }
 
+int ieee802154_mlme_tx_locked(struct ieee802154_local *local,
+			      struct ieee802154_sub_if_data *sdata,
+			      struct sk_buff *skb)
+{
+	/* Avoid possible calls to ->ndo_stop() when we asynchronously perform
+	 * MLME transmissions.
+	 */
+	ASSERT_RTNL();
+
+	/* Ensure the device was not stopped, otherwise error out */
+	if (!local->open_count)
+		return -ENETDOWN;
+
+	/* Warn if the ieee802154 core thinks MLME frames can be sent while the
+	 * net interface expects this cannot happen.
+	 */
+	if (WARN_ON_ONCE(!netif_running(sdata->dev)))
+		return -ENETDOWN;
+
+	ieee802154_tx(local, skb);
+	return ieee802154_sync_queue(local);
+}
+
 int ieee802154_mlme_tx(struct ieee802154_local *local,
 		       struct ieee802154_sub_if_data *sdata,
 		       struct sk_buff *skb)
 {
 	int ret;
 
-	/* Avoid possible calls to ->ndo_stop() when we asynchronously perform
-	 * MLME transmissions.
-	 */
 	rtnl_lock();
-
-	/* Ensure the device was not stopped, otherwise error out */
-	if (!local->open_count) {
-		rtnl_unlock();
-		return -ENETDOWN;
-	}
-
-	/* Warn if the ieee802154 core thinks MLME frames can be sent while the
-	 * net interface expects this cannot happen.
-	 */
-	if (WARN_ON_ONCE(!netif_running(sdata->dev))) {
-		rtnl_unlock();
-		return -ENETDOWN;
-	}
-
-	ieee802154_tx(local, skb);
-	ret = ieee802154_sync_queue(local);
-
+	ret = ieee802154_mlme_tx_locked(local, sdata, skb);
 	rtnl_unlock();
 
 	return ret;
@@ -188,6 +191,19 @@ int ieee802154_mlme_tx_one(struct ieee802154_local *local,
 	return ret;
 }
 
+int ieee802154_mlme_tx_one_locked(struct ieee802154_local *local,
+				  struct ieee802154_sub_if_data *sdata,
+				  struct sk_buff *skb)
+{
+	int ret;
+
+	ieee802154_mlme_op_pre(local);
+	ret = ieee802154_mlme_tx_locked(local, sdata, skb);
+	ieee802154_mlme_op_post(local);
+
+	return ret;
+}
+
 static bool ieee802154_queue_is_stopped(struct ieee802154_local *local)
 {
 	return test_bit(WPAN_PHY_FLAG_STATE_QUEUE_STOPPED, &local->phy->flags);