diff --git a/drivers/net/mv643xx_eth.c b/drivers/net/mv643xx_eth.c
index 30e6d4b8d5644191d404d5547bba0a8248b01f40..e33dfc0165f610cb940fd9d792ae2e5cb041ce91 100644
--- a/drivers/net/mv643xx_eth.c
+++ b/drivers/net/mv643xx_eth.c
@@ -527,7 +527,7 @@ static int rxq_process(struct rx_queue *rxq, int budget)
 	int rx;
 
 	rx = 0;
-	while (rx < budget) {
+	while (rx < budget && rxq->rx_desc_count) {
 		struct rx_desc *rx_desc;
 		unsigned int cmd_sts;
 		struct sk_buff *skb;