diff --git a/drivers/net/usb/usbnet.c b/drivers/net/usb/usbnet.c
index cb04f900cc461990255cd788d92437ddc1ce4afa..edb81ed06950624a182ad1e298f2f54d142804e7 100644
--- a/drivers/net/usb/usbnet.c
+++ b/drivers/net/usb/usbnet.c
@@ -359,10 +359,12 @@ static enum skb_state defer_bh(struct usbnet *dev, struct sk_buff *skb,
 void usbnet_defer_kevent (struct usbnet *dev, int work)
 {
 	set_bit (work, &dev->flags);
-	if (!schedule_work (&dev->kevent))
-		netdev_err(dev->net, "kevent %d may have been dropped\n", work);
-	else
+	if (!schedule_work (&dev->kevent)) {
+		if (net_ratelimit())
+			netdev_err(dev->net, "kevent %d may have been dropped\n", work);
+	} else {
 		netdev_dbg(dev->net, "kevent %d scheduled\n", work);
+	}
 }
 EXPORT_SYMBOL_GPL(usbnet_defer_kevent);