diff --git a/drivers/usb/core/devio.c b/drivers/usb/core/devio.c
index 186790b06b11..0100a54165cd 100644
--- a/drivers/usb/core/devio.c
+++ b/drivers/usb/core/devio.c
@@ -48,9 +48,6 @@
 #define USB_DEVICE_MAX			(USB_MAXBUS * 128)
 #define USB_SG_SIZE			16384 /* split-size for large txs */
 
-/* Mutual exclusion for removal, open, and release */
-DEFINE_MUTEX(usbfs_mutex);
-
 struct usb_dev_state {
 	struct list_head list;      /* state list */
 	struct usb_device *dev;
@@ -979,15 +976,9 @@ static int usbdev_open(struct inode *inode, struct file *file)
 
 	ret = -ENODEV;
 
-	/* Protect against simultaneous removal or release */
-	mutex_lock(&usbfs_mutex);
-
 	/* usbdev device-node */
 	if (imajor(inode) == USB_DEVICE_MAJOR)
 		dev = usbdev_lookup_by_devt(inode->i_rdev);
-
-	mutex_unlock(&usbfs_mutex);
-
 	if (!dev)
 		goto out_free_ps;
 
diff --git a/drivers/usb/core/notify.c b/drivers/usb/core/notify.c
index ab474b11523e..e6143663778f 100644
--- a/drivers/usb/core/notify.c
+++ b/drivers/usb/core/notify.c
@@ -53,11 +53,8 @@ void usb_notify_add_device(struct usb_device *udev)
 
 void usb_notify_remove_device(struct usb_device *udev)
 {
-	/* Protect against simultaneous usbfs open */
-	mutex_lock(&usbfs_mutex);
 	blocking_notifier_call_chain(&usb_notifier_list,
 			USB_DEVICE_REMOVE, udev);
-	mutex_unlock(&usbfs_mutex);
 }
 
 void usb_notify_add_bus(struct usb_bus *ubus)
diff --git a/drivers/usb/core/usb.h b/drivers/usb/core/usb.h
index d95a5358f73d..bd8d01f85a13 100644
--- a/drivers/usb/core/usb.h
+++ b/drivers/usb/core/usb.h
@@ -169,7 +169,6 @@ extern const struct attribute_group *usb_device_groups[];
 extern const struct attribute_group *usb_interface_groups[];
 
 /* usbfs stuff */
-extern struct mutex usbfs_mutex;
 extern struct usb_driver usbfs_driver;
 extern const struct file_operations usbfs_devices_fops;
 extern const struct file_operations usbdev_file_operations;