diff --git a/net/batman-adv/debugfs.c b/net/batman-adv/debugfs.c
index aea4133..1d68b6e 100644
--- a/net/batman-adv/debugfs.c
+++ b/net/batman-adv/debugfs.c
@@ -44,7 +44,6 @@
 #include "translation-table.h"
 
 static struct dentry *batadv_debugfs;
-static atomic_t batadv_rename = ATOMIC_INIT(0);
 
 static int batadv_algorithms_open(struct inode *inode, struct file *file)
 {
@@ -348,28 +347,6 @@ void batadv_debugfs_del_hardif(struct batadv_hard_iface *hard_iface)
 	}
 }
 
-/**
- * batadv_debugfs_rename_hardif - rename the base directory
- * @hard_iface: hard interface which is renamed.
- *
- * The interface may be removed and then quickly added back
- * again. Rename the old instance to something temporary and unique,
- * so avoiding a name space clash if it does reappear before the deferred
- * work completes the removal.
- */
-void batadv_debugfs_rename_hardif(struct batadv_hard_iface *hard_iface)
-{
-	char new_name[32];
-
-	snprintf(new_name, sizeof(*new_name) - 1, "tmp-%d",
-		 atomic_inc_return(&batadv_rename));
-
-	if (batadv_debugfs && hard_iface->debug_dir) {
-		debugfs_rename(batadv_debugfs, hard_iface->debug_dir,
-			       batadv_debugfs, new_name);
-	}
-}
-
 int batadv_debugfs_add_meshif(struct net_device *dev)
 {
 	struct batadv_priv *bat_priv = netdev_priv(dev);
diff --git a/net/batman-adv/debugfs.h b/net/batman-adv/debugfs.h
index e7d19c1..1ab4e2e 100644
--- a/net/batman-adv/debugfs.h
+++ b/net/batman-adv/debugfs.h
@@ -34,7 +34,6 @@ int batadv_debugfs_add_meshif(struct net_device *dev);
 void batadv_debugfs_del_meshif(struct net_device *dev);
 int batadv_debugfs_add_hardif(struct batadv_hard_iface *hard_iface);
 void batadv_debugfs_del_hardif(struct batadv_hard_iface *hard_iface);
-void batadv_debugfs_rename_hardif(struct batadv_hard_iface *hard_iface);
 
 #else
 
diff --git a/net/batman-adv/hard-interface.c b/net/batman-adv/hard-interface.c
index ccc7641..1f90808 100644
--- a/net/batman-adv/hard-interface.c
+++ b/net/batman-adv/hard-interface.c
@@ -706,23 +706,6 @@ out:
 	return NULL;
 }
 
-/**
- * batadv_hardif_rename - rename the sysfs and debugfs
- * @hard_iface: The hard interface to rename
- *
- * The sysfs and debugfs files cannot be removed until all users close
- * them.  So the removal is deferred into a work queue. This however
- * means if the interface comes back before the work queue runs, the
- * files are still there, and so the create gives an EEXISTS error. To
- * avoid this, rename them to a tempory name.
- */
-static void batadv_hardif_rename(struct batadv_hard_iface *hard_iface)
-{
-	batadv_sysfs_rename_hardif(&hard_iface->hardif_obj,
-				   hard_iface->net_dev);
-	batadv_debugfs_rename_hardif(hard_iface);
-}
-
 static void batadv_hardif_remove_interface(struct batadv_hard_iface *hard_iface)
 {
 	ASSERT_RTNL();
@@ -736,8 +719,6 @@ static void batadv_hardif_remove_interface(struct batadv_hard_iface *hard_iface)
 		return;
 
 	hard_iface->if_status = BATADV_IF_TO_BE_REMOVED;
-	batadv_hardif_rename(hard_iface);
-
 	queue_work(batadv_event_workqueue, &hard_iface->cleanup_work);
 }
 
diff --git a/net/batman-adv/sysfs.c b/net/batman-adv/sysfs.c
index 9b2c28f..fe9ca94 100644
--- a/net/batman-adv/sysfs.c
+++ b/net/batman-adv/sysfs.c
@@ -48,8 +48,6 @@
 #include "packet.h"
 #include "soft-interface.h"
 
-static atomic_t batadv_rename = ATOMIC_INIT(0);
-
 static struct net_device *batadv_kobj_to_netdev(struct kobject *obj)
 {
 	struct device *dev = container_of(obj->parent, struct device, kobj);
@@ -1048,21 +1046,6 @@ out:
 	return -ENOMEM;
 }
 
-void batadv_sysfs_rename_hardif(struct kobject **hardif_obj,
-				struct net_device *dev)
-{
-	char new_name[32];
-	int err;
-
-	snprintf(new_name, sizeof(*new_name) - 1, "tmp-%d",
-		 atomic_inc_return(&batadv_rename));
-
-	err = kobject_rename(*hardif_obj, new_name);
-	if (err)
-		batadv_err(dev, "Can't rename sysfs dir: %s/%s: %d\n",
-			   dev->name, new_name, err);
-}
-
 void batadv_sysfs_del_hardif(struct kobject **hardif_obj)
 {
 	kobject_put(*hardif_obj);
diff --git a/net/batman-adv/sysfs.h b/net/batman-adv/sysfs.h
index 64d3722..c76021b 100644
--- a/net/batman-adv/sysfs.h
+++ b/net/batman-adv/sysfs.h
@@ -48,8 +48,6 @@ void batadv_sysfs_del_meshif(struct net_device *dev);
 int batadv_sysfs_add_hardif(struct kobject **hardif_obj,
 			    struct net_device *dev);
 void batadv_sysfs_del_hardif(struct kobject **hardif_obj);
-void batadv_sysfs_rename_hardif(struct kobject **hardif_obj,
-				struct net_device *dev);
 int batadv_sysfs_add_vlan(struct net_device *dev,
 			  struct batadv_softif_vlan *vlan);
 void batadv_sysfs_del_vlan(struct batadv_priv *bat_priv,
