diff --git a/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/i40e/i40e_txrx.c b/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/i40e/i40e_txrx.c
index de70c16ef619..7fc5bdb5cd9e 100644
--- a/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/i40e/i40e_txrx.c
+++ b/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/i40e/i40e_txrx.c
@@ -2298,7 +2298,6 @@ static int i40e_run_xdp(struct i40e_ring *rx_ring, struct xdp_buff *xdp)
 	struct bpf_prog *xdp_prog;
 	u32 act;
 
-	rcu_read_lock();
 	xdp_prog = READ_ONCE(rx_ring->xdp_prog);
 
 	if (!xdp_prog)
@@ -2306,6 +2305,9 @@ static int i40e_run_xdp(struct i40e_ring *rx_ring, struct xdp_buff *xdp)
 
 	prefetchw(xdp->data_hard_start); /* xdp_frame write */
 
+	/* This code is invoked within a single NAPI poll cycle and thus under
+	 * local_bh_disable(), which provides the needed RCU protection.
+	 */
 	act = bpf_prog_run_xdp(xdp_prog, xdp);
 	switch (act) {
 	case XDP_PASS:
@@ -2329,7 +2331,6 @@ static int i40e_run_xdp(struct i40e_ring *rx_ring, struct xdp_buff *xdp)
 		break;
 	}
 xdp_out:
-	rcu_read_unlock();
 	return result;
 }
 
diff --git a/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/i40e/i40e_xsk.c b/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/i40e/i40e_xsk.c
index 46d884417c63..a5982cd112be 100644
--- a/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/i40e/i40e_xsk.c
+++ b/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/i40e/i40e_xsk.c
@@ -153,8 +153,10 @@ static int i40e_run_xdp_zc(struct i40e_ring *rx_ring, struct xdp_buff *xdp)
 	struct bpf_prog *xdp_prog;
 	u32 act;
 
-	rcu_read_lock();
-	/* NB! xdp_prog will always be !NULL, due to the fact that
+	/* This code is invoked within a single NAPI poll cycle and thus under
+	 * local_bh_disable(), which provides the needed RCU protection.
+	 *
+	 * NB! xdp_prog will always be !NULL, due to the fact that
 	 * this path is enabled by setting an XDP program.
 	 */
 	xdp_prog = READ_ONCE(rx_ring->xdp_prog);
@@ -162,9 +164,7 @@ static int i40e_run_xdp_zc(struct i40e_ring *rx_ring, struct xdp_buff *xdp)
 
 	if (likely(act == XDP_REDIRECT)) {
 		err = xdp_do_redirect(rx_ring->netdev, xdp, xdp_prog);
-		result = !err ? I40E_XDP_REDIR : I40E_XDP_CONSUMED;
-		rcu_read_unlock();
-		return result;
+		return !err ? I40E_XDP_REDIR : I40E_XDP_CONSUMED;
 	}
 
 	switch (act) {
@@ -184,7 +184,6 @@ static int i40e_run_xdp_zc(struct i40e_ring *rx_ring, struct xdp_buff *xdp)
 		result = I40E_XDP_CONSUMED;
 		break;
 	}
-	rcu_read_unlock();
 	return result;
 }
 
diff --git a/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/ice/ice_txrx.c b/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/ice/ice_txrx.c
index e2b4b29ea207..1a311e91fb6d 100644
--- a/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/ice/ice_txrx.c
+++ b/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/ice/ice_txrx.c
@@ -1129,15 +1129,11 @@ int ice_clean_rx_irq(struct ice_ring *rx_ring, int budget)
 		xdp.frame_sz = ice_rx_frame_truesize(rx_ring, size);
 #endif
 
-		rcu_read_lock();
 		xdp_prog = READ_ONCE(rx_ring->xdp_prog);
-		if (!xdp_prog) {
-			rcu_read_unlock();
+		if (!xdp_prog)
 			goto construct_skb;
-		}
 
 		xdp_res = ice_run_xdp(rx_ring, &xdp, xdp_prog);
-		rcu_read_unlock();
 		if (!xdp_res)
 			goto construct_skb;
 		if (xdp_res & (ICE_XDP_TX | ICE_XDP_REDIR)) {
diff --git a/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/ice/ice_xsk.c b/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/ice/ice_xsk.c
index faa7b8d96adb..d6da377f5ac3 100644
--- a/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/ice/ice_xsk.c
+++ b/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/ice/ice_xsk.c
@@ -463,7 +463,6 @@ ice_run_xdp_zc(struct ice_ring *rx_ring, struct xdp_buff *xdp)
 	struct ice_ring *xdp_ring;
 	u32 act;
 
-	rcu_read_lock();
 	/* ZC patch is enabled only when XDP program is set,
 	 * so here it can not be NULL
 	 */
@@ -473,9 +472,7 @@ ice_run_xdp_zc(struct ice_ring *rx_ring, struct xdp_buff *xdp)
 
 	if (likely(act == XDP_REDIRECT)) {
 		err = xdp_do_redirect(rx_ring->netdev, xdp, xdp_prog);
-		result = !err ? ICE_XDP_REDIR : ICE_XDP_CONSUMED;
-		rcu_read_unlock();
-		return result;
+		return !err ? ICE_XDP_REDIR : ICE_XDP_CONSUMED;
 	}
 
 	switch (act) {
@@ -496,7 +493,6 @@ ice_run_xdp_zc(struct ice_ring *rx_ring, struct xdp_buff *xdp)
 		break;
 	}
 
-	rcu_read_unlock();
 	return result;
 }
 
diff --git a/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/igb/igb_main.c b/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/igb/igb_main.c
index 038a9fd1af44..0b68d589218a 100644
--- a/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/igb/igb_main.c
+++ b/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/igb/igb_main.c
@@ -8387,7 +8387,6 @@ static struct sk_buff *igb_run_xdp(struct igb_adapter *adapter,
 	struct bpf_prog *xdp_prog;
 	u32 act;
 
-	rcu_read_lock();
 	xdp_prog = READ_ONCE(rx_ring->xdp_prog);
 
 	if (!xdp_prog)
@@ -8395,6 +8394,9 @@ static struct sk_buff *igb_run_xdp(struct igb_adapter *adapter,
 
 	prefetchw(xdp->data_hard_start); /* xdp_frame write */
 
+	/* This code is invoked within a single NAPI poll cycle and thus under
+	 * local_bh_disable(), which provides the needed RCU protection.
+	 */
 	act = bpf_prog_run_xdp(xdp_prog, xdp);
 	switch (act) {
 	case XDP_PASS:
@@ -8420,7 +8422,6 @@ static struct sk_buff *igb_run_xdp(struct igb_adapter *adapter,
 		break;
 	}
 xdp_out:
-	rcu_read_unlock();
 	return ERR_PTR(-result);
 }
 
diff --git a/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/igc/igc_main.c b/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/igc/igc_main.c
index ea998d2defa4..333057ce60c7 100644
--- a/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/igc/igc_main.c
+++ b/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/igc/igc_main.c
@@ -2175,18 +2175,18 @@ static struct sk_buff *igc_xdp_run_prog(struct igc_adapter *adapter,
 	struct bpf_prog *prog;
 	int res;
 
-	rcu_read_lock();
-
 	prog = READ_ONCE(adapter->xdp_prog);
 	if (!prog) {
 		res = IGC_XDP_PASS;
-		goto unlock;
+		goto out;
 	}
 
+	/* This code is invoked within a single NAPI poll cycle and thus under
+	 * local_bh_disable(), which provides the needed RCU protection.
+	 */
 	res = __igc_xdp_run_prog(adapter, prog, xdp);
 
-unlock:
-	rcu_read_unlock();
+out:
 	return ERR_PTR(-res);
 }
 
diff --git a/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/ixgbe/ixgbe_main.c b/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/ixgbe/ixgbe_main.c
index c5ec17d19c59..9cebe7894111 100644
--- a/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/ixgbe/ixgbe_main.c
+++ b/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/ixgbe/ixgbe_main.c
@@ -2199,7 +2199,6 @@ static struct sk_buff *ixgbe_run_xdp(struct ixgbe_adapter *adapter,
 	struct xdp_frame *xdpf;
 	u32 act;
 
-	rcu_read_lock();
 	xdp_prog = READ_ONCE(rx_ring->xdp_prog);
 
 	if (!xdp_prog)
@@ -2207,6 +2206,9 @@ static struct sk_buff *ixgbe_run_xdp(struct ixgbe_adapter *adapter,
 
 	prefetchw(xdp->data_hard_start); /* xdp_frame write */
 
+	/* This code is invoked within a single NAPI poll cycle and thus under
+	 * local_bh_disable(), which provides the needed RCU protection.
+	 */
 	act = bpf_prog_run_xdp(xdp_prog, xdp);
 	switch (act) {
 	case XDP_PASS:
@@ -2237,7 +2239,6 @@ static struct sk_buff *ixgbe_run_xdp(struct ixgbe_adapter *adapter,
 		break;
 	}
 xdp_out:
-	rcu_read_unlock();
 	return ERR_PTR(-result);
 }
 
diff --git a/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/ixgbe/ixgbe_xsk.c b/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/ixgbe/ixgbe_xsk.c
index 91ad5b902673..4a075e667082 100644
--- a/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/ixgbe/ixgbe_xsk.c
+++ b/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/ixgbe/ixgbe_xsk.c
@@ -100,15 +100,15 @@ static int ixgbe_run_xdp_zc(struct ixgbe_adapter *adapter,
 	struct xdp_frame *xdpf;
 	u32 act;
 
-	rcu_read_lock();
+	/* This code is invoked within a single NAPI poll cycle and thus under
+	 * local_bh_disable(), which provides the needed RCU protection.
+	 */
 	xdp_prog = READ_ONCE(rx_ring->xdp_prog);
 	act = bpf_prog_run_xdp(xdp_prog, xdp);
 
 	if (likely(act == XDP_REDIRECT)) {
 		err = xdp_do_redirect(rx_ring->netdev, xdp, xdp_prog);
-		result = !err ? IXGBE_XDP_REDIR : IXGBE_XDP_CONSUMED;
-		rcu_read_unlock();
-		return result;
+		return !err ? IXGBE_XDP_REDIR : IXGBE_XDP_CONSUMED;
 	}
 
 	switch (act) {
@@ -132,7 +132,6 @@ static int ixgbe_run_xdp_zc(struct ixgbe_adapter *adapter,
 		result = IXGBE_XDP_CONSUMED;
 		break;
 	}
-	rcu_read_unlock();
 	return result;
 }
 
diff --git a/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/ixgbevf/ixgbevf_main.c b/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/ixgbevf/ixgbevf_main.c
index ba2ed8a43d2d..ab05ebc3d350 100644
--- a/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/ixgbevf/ixgbevf_main.c
+++ b/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/ixgbevf/ixgbevf_main.c
@@ -1054,12 +1054,14 @@ static struct sk_buff *ixgbevf_run_xdp(struct ixgbevf_adapter *adapter,
 	struct bpf_prog *xdp_prog;
 	u32 act;
 
-	rcu_read_lock();
 	xdp_prog = READ_ONCE(rx_ring->xdp_prog);
 
 	if (!xdp_prog)
 		goto xdp_out;
 
+	/* This code is invoked within a single NAPI poll cycle and thus under
+	 * local_bh_disable(), which provides the needed RCU protection.
+	 */
 	act = bpf_prog_run_xdp(xdp_prog, xdp);
 	switch (act) {
 	case XDP_PASS:
@@ -1079,7 +1081,6 @@ static struct sk_buff *ixgbevf_run_xdp(struct ixgbevf_adapter *adapter,
 		break;
 	}
 xdp_out:
-	rcu_read_unlock();
 	return ERR_PTR(-result);
 }
 
