diff --git a/module/zfs/spa.c b/module/zfs/spa.c
index 1f047dcd2a..9eb14b4f1d 100644
--- a/module/zfs/spa.c
+++ b/module/zfs/spa.c
@@ -6994,15 +6994,11 @@ spa_export_common(const char *pool, int new_state, nvlist_t **oldconfig,
 	mutex_enter(&spa_namespace_lock);
 	spa->spa_export_thread = curthread;
 	spa_close(spa, FTAG);
-	mutex_exit(&spa_namespace_lock);
 
-	/*
-	 * At this point we no longer hold the spa_namespace_lock and
-	 * the spa_export_thread indicates that an export is in progress.
-	 */
-
-	if (spa->spa_state == POOL_STATE_UNINITIALIZED)
+	if (spa->spa_state == POOL_STATE_UNINITIALIZED) {
+		mutex_exit(&spa_namespace_lock);
 		goto export_spa;
+	}
 
 	/*
 	 * The pool will be in core if it's openable, in which case we can
@@ -7024,6 +7020,14 @@ spa_export_common(const char *pool, int new_state, nvlist_t **oldconfig,
 		goto fail;
 	}
 
+	mutex_exit(&spa_namespace_lock);
+	/*
+	 * At this point we no longer hold the spa_namespace_lock and
+	 * there were no references on the spa. Future spa_lookups will
+	 * notice the spa->spa_export_thread and wait until we signal
+	 * that we are finshed.
+	 */
+
 	if (spa->spa_sync_on) {
 		vdev_t *rvd = spa->spa_root_vdev;
 		/*
@@ -7035,6 +7039,7 @@ spa_export_common(const char *pool, int new_state, nvlist_t **oldconfig,
 		if (!force && new_state == POOL_STATE_EXPORTED &&
 		    spa_has_active_shared_spare(spa)) {
 			error = SET_ERROR(EXDEV);
+			mutex_enter(&spa_namespace_lock);
 			goto fail;
 		}
 
@@ -7102,6 +7107,9 @@ export_spa:
 	if (new_state == POOL_STATE_EXPORTED)
 		zio_handle_export_delay(spa, gethrtime() - export_start);
 
+	/*
+	 * Take the namespace lock for the actual spa_t removal
+	 */
 	mutex_enter(&spa_namespace_lock);
 	if (new_state != POOL_STATE_UNINITIALIZED) {
 		if (!hardforce)
@@ -7118,20 +7126,20 @@ export_spa:
 	}
 
 	/*
-	 * Wake up any waiters on spa_namespace_lock
-	 * They need to re-attempt a spa_lookup()
+	 * Wake up any waiters in spa_lookup()
 	 */
 	cv_broadcast(&spa_namespace_cv);
 	mutex_exit(&spa_namespace_lock);
 	return (0);
 
 fail:
-	mutex_enter(&spa_namespace_lock);
 	spa->spa_is_exporting = B_FALSE;
 	spa->spa_export_thread = NULL;
-	spa_async_resume(spa);
 
-	/* Wake up any waiters on spa_namespace_lock */
+	spa_async_resume(spa);
+	/*
+	 * Wake up any waiters in spa_lookup()
+	 */
 	cv_broadcast(&spa_namespace_cv);
 	mutex_exit(&spa_namespace_lock);
 	return (error);
diff --git a/module/zfs/spa_misc.c b/module/zfs/spa_misc.c
index 6d7667cf3e..d1d41bbe72 100644
--- a/module/zfs/spa_misc.c
+++ b/module/zfs/spa_misc.c
@@ -1240,20 +1240,7 @@ spa_vdev_enter(spa_t *spa)
 	mutex_enter(&spa->spa_vdev_top_lock);
 	mutex_enter(&spa_namespace_lock);
 
-	/*
-	 * We have a reference on the spa and a spa export could be
-	 * starting but no longer holding the spa_namespace_lock. So
-	 * check if there is an export and if so wait. It will fail
-	 * fast (EBUSY) since we are still holding a spa reference.
-	 *
-	 * Note that we can be woken by a different spa transitioning
-	 * through an import/export, so we must wait for our condition
-	 * to change before proceeding.
-	 */
-	while (spa->spa_export_thread != NULL &&
-	    spa->spa_export_thread != curthread) {
-		cv_wait(&spa_namespace_cv, &spa_namespace_lock);
-	}
+	ASSERT0(spa->spa_export_thread);
 
 	vdev_autotrim_stop_all(spa);
 
@@ -1272,11 +1259,7 @@ spa_vdev_detach_enter(spa_t *spa, uint64_t guid)
 	mutex_enter(&spa->spa_vdev_top_lock);
 	mutex_enter(&spa_namespace_lock);
 
-	/* See comment in spa_vdev_enter() */
-	while (spa->spa_export_thread != NULL &&
-	    spa->spa_export_thread != curthread) {
-		cv_wait(&spa_namespace_cv, &spa_namespace_lock);
-	}
+	ASSERT0(spa->spa_export_thread);
 
 	vdev_autotrim_stop_all(spa);