diff --git a/plugins/meta/vrf/main.go b/plugins/meta/vrf/main.go
index fc1f61203..93d536820 100644
--- a/plugins/meta/vrf/main.go
+++ b/plugins/meta/vrf/main.go
@@ -99,10 +99,9 @@ func cmdDel(args *skel.CmdArgs) error {
 	}
 	err = ns.WithNetNSPath(args.Netns, func(_ ns.NetNS) error {
 		vrf, err := findVRF(conf.VRFName)
-		if _, ok := err.(netlink.LinkNotFoundError); ok {
+		if linkNotFound(err) {
 			return nil
 		}
-
 		if err != nil {
 			return err
 		}
@@ -119,8 +118,11 @@ func cmdDel(args *skel.CmdArgs) error {
 
 		// Meaning, we are deleting the last interface assigned to the VRF
 		if len(interfaces) == 0 {
-			err = netlink.LinkDel(vrf)
-			if err != nil {
+			// CNI DEL must be idempotent: a concurrent netns teardown can remove
+			// the VRF between findVRF and here, so LinkDel returns ENODEV. Treat
+			// "already gone" as success (LinkDel returns a bare errno, not the
+			// typed netlink.LinkNotFoundError).
+			if err = netlink.LinkDel(vrf); err != nil && !linkNotFound(err) {
 				return err
 			}
 		}
diff --git a/plugins/meta/vrf/vrf.go b/plugins/meta/vrf/vrf.go
index 5e45f5988..793580e6d 100644
--- a/plugins/meta/vrf/vrf.go
+++ b/plugins/meta/vrf/vrf.go
@@ -15,9 +15,11 @@
 package main
 
 import (
+	"errors"
 	"fmt"
 	"math"
 	"net"
+	"syscall"
 	"time"
 
 	"github.com/vishvananda/netlink"
@@ -214,16 +216,32 @@ func findFreeRoutingTableID(links []netlink.Link) (uint32, error) {
 
 func resetMaster(interfaceName string) error {
 	intf, err := netlinksafe.LinkByName(interfaceName)
-	if err != nil {
-		return fmt.Errorf("resetMaster: could not get link by name %s", interfaceName)
+	if linkNotFound(err) {
+		// Interface already gone (e.g. concurrent netns teardown). DEL is
+		// best-effort, so there is nothing left to reset.
+		return nil
 	}
-	err = netlink.LinkSetNoMaster(intf)
 	if err != nil {
-		return fmt.Errorf("resetMaster: could reset master to %s", interfaceName)
+		return fmt.Errorf("resetMaster: could not get link by name %s: %w", interfaceName, err)
+	}
+	if err := netlink.LinkSetNoMaster(intf); err != nil {
+		return fmt.Errorf("resetMaster: could not reset master of %s: %w", interfaceName, err)
 	}
 	return nil
 }
 
+// linkNotFound reports whether err indicates the link is already gone. netlink
+// returns a typed LinkNotFoundError from LinkByName, but a bare errno (ENODEV)
+// from LinkDel, so both must be matched. Per the CNI spec, DEL is best-effort
+// and must not fail when a resource has already been removed.
+func linkNotFound(err error) bool {
+	if err == nil {
+		return false
+	}
+	var lnf netlink.LinkNotFoundError
+	return errors.As(err, &lnf) || errors.Is(err, syscall.ENODEV) || errors.Is(err, syscall.ENOENT)
+}
+
 // getGlobalAddresses returns the global addresses of the given interface
 func getGlobalAddresses(link netlink.Link, family int) ([]netlink.Addr, error) {
 	addresses, err := netlinksafe.AddrList(link, family)
diff --git a/plugins/meta/vrf/vrf_test.go b/plugins/meta/vrf/vrf_test.go
index 4e1212297..f771fcfc8 100644
--- a/plugins/meta/vrf/vrf_test.go
+++ b/plugins/meta/vrf/vrf_test.go
@@ -821,6 +821,54 @@ var _ = Describe("vrf plugin", func() {
 		})
 	})
 
+	It("returns success on DEL when the enslaved interface is already gone (idempotent)", func() {
+		conf0 := configFor("test", IF0Name, VRF0Name, "10.0.0.2/24")
+
+		By("Adding the interface to the VRF", func() {
+			err := originalNS.Do(func(ns.NetNS) error {
+				defer GinkgoRecover()
+				args := &skel.CmdArgs{
+					ContainerID: "dummy",
+					Netns:       targetNS.Path(),
+					IfName:      IF0Name,
+					StdinData:   conf0,
+				}
+				_, _, err := testutils.CmdAddWithArgs(args, func() error {
+					return cmdAdd(args)
+				})
+				Expect(err).NotTo(HaveOccurred())
+				return nil
+			})
+			Expect(err).NotTo(HaveOccurred())
+		})
+
+		By("Removing the enslaved interface out-of-band (simulating a teardown race)", func() {
+			err := targetNS.Do(func(ns.NetNS) error {
+				defer GinkgoRecover()
+				link, err := netlinksafe.LinkByName(IF0Name)
+				Expect(err).NotTo(HaveOccurred())
+				return netlink.LinkDel(link)
+			})
+			Expect(err).NotTo(HaveOccurred())
+		})
+
+		By("DEL succeeding even though the interface is gone", func() {
+			err := originalNS.Do(func(ns.NetNS) error {
+				defer GinkgoRecover()
+				args := &skel.CmdArgs{
+					ContainerID: "dummy",
+					Netns:       targetNS.Path(),
+					IfName:      IF0Name,
+					StdinData:   conf0,
+				}
+				return testutils.CmdDelWithArgs(args, func() error {
+					return cmdDel(args)
+				})
+			})
+			Expect(err).NotTo(HaveOccurred())
+		})
+	})
+
 	It("configures and deconfigures VRF with CNI 0.4.0 ADD/DEL", func() {
 		conf := []byte(fmt.Sprintf(`{
 	"name": "test",