diff --git a/include/evl/factory.h b/include/evl/factory.h
index 2698d378b82789..c5bb1a58aa5b19 100644
--- a/include/evl/factory.h
+++ b/include/evl/factory.h
@@ -143,6 +143,14 @@ __evl_get_element_by_fundle(struct evl_index *map,
 			container_of(__e, __type, element); }) : NULL;	\
 	})
 
+/* Hide the element from sysfs operations. */
+static inline void evl_hide_element(struct evl_element *e)
+{
+	struct device *dev = e->dev;
+	if (dev)
+		dev_set_drvdata(dev, NULL);
+}
+
 static inline bool evl_element_is_public(struct evl_element *e)
 {
 	return !!(e->clone_flags & EVL_CLONE_PUBLIC);
diff --git a/kernel/evl/thread.c b/kernel/evl/thread.c
index 799195242dd69a..4647a58b93daf7 100644
--- a/kernel/evl/thread.c
+++ b/kernel/evl/thread.c
@@ -277,6 +277,14 @@ static void uninit_thread(struct evl_thread *thread)
 	unsigned long flags;
 	struct evl_rq *rq;
 
+	/*
+	 * Threads are special elements in that they may exit
+	 * independently from the existence of their respective
+	 * backing cdev. Make sure to hide exiting threads from sysfs
+	 * handlers before we dismantle things.
+	 */
+	evl_hide_element(&thread->element);
+
 	evl_destroy_timer(&thread->rtimer);
 	evl_destroy_timer(&thread->ptimer);