diff --git a/drivers/net/qlcnic/qlcnic.h b/drivers/net/qlcnic/qlcnic.h
index d15de63ed0bb62b139b946b4d7afa19eed3fc36c..0a537044d7dab73f74530c95922c75e7aaa92cbb 100644
--- a/drivers/net/qlcnic/qlcnic.h
+++ b/drivers/net/qlcnic/qlcnic.h
@@ -902,6 +902,7 @@ struct qlcnic_mac_req {
 #define QLCNIC_BRIDGE_ENABLED       	0X10
 #define QLCNIC_DIAG_ENABLED		0x20
 #define QLCNIC_ESWITCH_ENABLED		0x40
+#define QLCNIC_ADAPTER_INITIALIZED	0x80
 #define QLCNIC_TAGGING_ENABLED		0x100
 #define QLCNIC_MACSPOOF			0x200
 #define QLCNIC_IS_MSI_FAMILY(adapter) \
diff --git a/drivers/net/qlcnic/qlcnic_hdr.h b/drivers/net/qlcnic/qlcnic_hdr.h
index 219de9f4496fc3149c97045d601eb31c8ae669db..bce1b1d541b78fe55d9f84c63c18ed250edda5e2 100644
--- a/drivers/net/qlcnic/qlcnic_hdr.h
+++ b/drivers/net/qlcnic/qlcnic_hdr.h
@@ -748,7 +748,7 @@ enum {
 #define QLCNIC_RESET_TIMEOUT_SECS	10
 #define QLCNIC_INIT_TIMEOUT_SECS	30
 #define QLCNIC_HEARTBEAT_PERIOD_MSECS	200
-#define QLCNIC_HEARTBEAT_RETRY_COUNT	30
+#define QLCNIC_HEARTBEAT_RETRY_COUNT	45
 
 #define	ISR_MSI_INT_TRIGGER(FUNC) (QLCNIC_PCIX_PS_REG(PCIX_MSI_F(FUNC)))
 #define ISR_LEGACY_INT_TRIGGERED(VAL)	(((VAL) & 0x300) == 0x200)
diff --git a/drivers/net/qlcnic/qlcnic_init.c b/drivers/net/qlcnic/qlcnic_init.c
index df91b754bb70f9f25fbea56f6c2019d4d26f2a68..eb8256bec516cc3133085492500f70c74acbd06a 100644
--- a/drivers/net/qlcnic/qlcnic_init.c
+++ b/drivers/net/qlcnic/qlcnic_init.c
@@ -547,7 +547,7 @@ int qlcnic_pinit_from_rom(struct qlcnic_adapter *adapter)
 int
 qlcnic_check_fw_status(struct qlcnic_adapter *adapter)
 {
-	u32 heartbit, ret = -EIO;
+	u32 heartbit, cmdpeg_state, ret = -EIO;
 	int retries = QLCNIC_HEARTBEAT_RETRY_COUNT;
 
 	adapter->heartbit = QLCRD32(adapter, QLCNIC_PEG_ALIVE_COUNTER);
@@ -555,10 +555,16 @@ qlcnic_check_fw_status(struct qlcnic_adapter *adapter)
 		msleep(QLCNIC_HEARTBEAT_PERIOD_MSECS);
 		heartbit = QLCRD32(adapter, QLCNIC_PEG_ALIVE_COUNTER);
 		if (heartbit != adapter->heartbit) {
-			/* Complete firmware handshake */
-			QLCWR32(adapter, CRB_CMDPEG_STATE, PHAN_INITIALIZE_ACK);
-			ret = QLCNIC_RCODE_SUCCESS;
-			break;
+			cmdpeg_state = QLCRD32(adapter, CRB_CMDPEG_STATE);
+			/* Ensure peg states are initialized */
+			if (cmdpeg_state == PHAN_INITIALIZE_COMPLETE ||
+				cmdpeg_state == PHAN_INITIALIZE_ACK) {
+				/* Complete firmware handshake */
+				QLCWR32(adapter, CRB_CMDPEG_STATE,
+					PHAN_INITIALIZE_ACK);
+				ret = QLCNIC_RCODE_SUCCESS;
+				break;
+			}
 		}
 	} while (--retries);
 
diff --git a/drivers/net/qlcnic/qlcnic_main.c b/drivers/net/qlcnic/qlcnic_main.c
index 1b8f67dab9b80e8008a9af48d9a60ba256fa2b4d..6999d5aaa1572e38df980539f86520a9d4b92711 100644
--- a/drivers/net/qlcnic/qlcnic_main.c
+++ b/drivers/net/qlcnic/qlcnic_main.c
@@ -566,12 +566,11 @@ qlcnic_set_function_modes(struct qlcnic_adapter *adapter)
 	return ret;
 }
 
-static u32
-qlcnic_get_driver_mode(struct qlcnic_adapter *adapter)
+static void
+qlcnic_check_vf(struct qlcnic_adapter *adapter)
 {
 	void __iomem *msix_base_addr;
 	void __iomem *priv_op;
-	struct qlcnic_info nic_info;
 	u32 func;
 	u32 msix_base;
 	u32 op_mode, priv_level;
@@ -586,20 +585,6 @@ qlcnic_get_driver_mode(struct qlcnic_adapter *adapter)
 	func = (func - msix_base)/QLCNIC_MSIX_TBL_PGSIZE;
 	adapter->ahw.pci_func = func;
 
-	if (!qlcnic_get_nic_info(adapter, &nic_info, adapter->ahw.pci_func)) {
-		adapter->capabilities = nic_info.capabilities;
-
-		if (adapter->capabilities & BIT_6)
-			adapter->flags |= QLCNIC_ESWITCH_ENABLED;
-		else
-			adapter->flags &= ~QLCNIC_ESWITCH_ENABLED;
-	}
-
-	if (!(adapter->flags & QLCNIC_ESWITCH_ENABLED))	{
-		adapter->nic_ops = &qlcnic_ops;
-		return adapter->fw_hal_version;
-	}
-
 	/* Determine function privilege level */
 	priv_op = adapter->ahw.pci_base0 + QLCNIC_DRV_OP_MODE;
 	op_mode = readl(priv_op);
@@ -608,37 +593,14 @@ qlcnic_get_driver_mode(struct qlcnic_adapter *adapter)
 	else
 		priv_level = QLC_DEV_GET_DRV(op_mode, adapter->ahw.pci_func);
 
-	switch (priv_level) {
-	case QLCNIC_MGMT_FUNC:
-		adapter->op_mode = QLCNIC_MGMT_FUNC;
-		adapter->nic_ops = &qlcnic_ops;
-		qlcnic_init_pci_info(adapter);
-		/* Set privilege level for other functions */
-		qlcnic_set_function_modes(adapter);
-		dev_info(&adapter->pdev->dev,
-			"HAL Version: %d, Management function\n",
-			adapter->fw_hal_version);
-		break;
-	case QLCNIC_PRIV_FUNC:
-		adapter->op_mode = QLCNIC_PRIV_FUNC;
-		dev_info(&adapter->pdev->dev,
-			"HAL Version: %d, Privileged function\n",
-			adapter->fw_hal_version);
-		adapter->nic_ops = &qlcnic_ops;
-		break;
-	case QLCNIC_NON_PRIV_FUNC:
+	if (priv_level == QLCNIC_NON_PRIV_FUNC) {
 		adapter->op_mode = QLCNIC_NON_PRIV_FUNC;
 		dev_info(&adapter->pdev->dev,
 			"HAL Version: %d Non Privileged function\n",
 			adapter->fw_hal_version);
 		adapter->nic_ops = &qlcnic_vf_ops;
-		break;
-	default:
-		dev_info(&adapter->pdev->dev, "Unknown function mode: %d\n",
-			priv_level);
-		return 0;
-	}
-	return adapter->fw_hal_version;
+	} else
+		adapter->nic_ops = &qlcnic_ops;
 }
 
 static int
@@ -671,10 +633,7 @@ qlcnic_setup_pci_map(struct qlcnic_adapter *adapter)
 	adapter->ahw.pci_base0 = mem_ptr0;
 	adapter->ahw.pci_len0 = pci_len0;
 
-	if (!qlcnic_get_driver_mode(adapter)) {
-		iounmap(adapter->ahw.pci_base0);
-		return -EIO;
-	}
+	qlcnic_check_vf(adapter);
 
 	adapter->ahw.ocm_win_crb = qlcnic_get_ioaddr(adapter,
 		QLCNIC_PCIX_PS_REG(PCIX_OCM_WINDOW_REG(adapter->ahw.pci_func)));
@@ -719,6 +678,9 @@ qlcnic_check_options(struct qlcnic_adapter *adapter)
 
 	adapter->fw_version = QLCNIC_VERSION_CODE(fw_major, fw_minor, fw_build);
 
+	if (!(adapter->flags & QLCNIC_ADAPTER_INITIALIZED))
+		if (qlcnic_read_mac_addr(adapter))
+			dev_warn(&pdev->dev, "failed to read mac addr\n");
 	if (adapter->portnum == 0) {
 		get_brd_name(adapter, brd_name);
 
@@ -836,6 +798,51 @@ qlcnic_set_netdev_features(struct qlcnic_adapter *adapter,
 	netdev->vlan_features = (features & vlan_features);
 }
 
+static int
+qlcnic_check_eswitch_mode(struct qlcnic_adapter *adapter)
+{
+	void __iomem *priv_op;
+	u32 op_mode, priv_level;
+	int err = 0;
+
+	if (adapter->flags & QLCNIC_ADAPTER_INITIALIZED)
+		return 0;
+
+	priv_op = adapter->ahw.pci_base0 + QLCNIC_DRV_OP_MODE;
+	op_mode = readl(priv_op);
+	priv_level = QLC_DEV_GET_DRV(op_mode, adapter->ahw.pci_func);
+
+	if (op_mode == QLC_DEV_DRV_DEFAULT)
+		priv_level = QLCNIC_MGMT_FUNC;
+	else
+		priv_level = QLC_DEV_GET_DRV(op_mode, adapter->ahw.pci_func);
+
+	if (adapter->capabilities & BIT_6) {
+		adapter->flags |= QLCNIC_ESWITCH_ENABLED;
+		if (priv_level == QLCNIC_MGMT_FUNC) {
+			adapter->op_mode = QLCNIC_MGMT_FUNC;
+			err = qlcnic_init_pci_info(adapter);
+			if (err)
+				return err;
+			/* Set privilege level for other functions */
+			qlcnic_set_function_modes(adapter);
+			dev_info(&adapter->pdev->dev,
+				"HAL Version: %d, Management function\n",
+				adapter->fw_hal_version);
+		} else if (priv_level == QLCNIC_PRIV_FUNC) {
+			adapter->op_mode = QLCNIC_PRIV_FUNC;
+			dev_info(&adapter->pdev->dev,
+				"HAL Version: %d, Privileged function\n",
+				adapter->fw_hal_version);
+		}
+	} else
+		adapter->flags &= ~QLCNIC_ESWITCH_ENABLED;
+
+	adapter->flags |= QLCNIC_ADAPTER_INITIALIZED;
+
+	return err;
+}
+
 static int
 qlcnic_set_default_offload_settings(struct qlcnic_adapter *adapter)
 {
@@ -1005,8 +1012,14 @@ qlcnic_start_firmware(struct qlcnic_adapter *adapter)
 	err = qlcnic_reset_npar_config(adapter);
 	if (err)
 		goto err_out;
-	qlcnic_dev_set_npar_ready(adapter);
 	qlcnic_check_options(adapter);
+	err = qlcnic_check_eswitch_mode(adapter);
+	if (err) {
+		dev_err(&adapter->pdev->dev,
+			"Memory allocation failed for eswitch\n");
+		goto err_out;
+	}
+	qlcnic_dev_set_npar_ready(adapter);
 	adapter->need_fw_reset = 0;
 
 	qlcnic_release_firmware(adapter);
@@ -1015,6 +1028,7 @@ qlcnic_start_firmware(struct qlcnic_adapter *adapter)
 err_out:
 	QLCWR32(adapter, QLCNIC_CRB_DEV_STATE, QLCNIC_DEV_FAILED);
 	dev_err(&adapter->pdev->dev, "Device state set to failed\n");
+
 	qlcnic_release_firmware(adapter);
 	return err;
 }
@@ -1419,9 +1433,6 @@ qlcnic_setup_netdev(struct qlcnic_adapter *adapter,
 		netdev->features |= NETIF_F_LRO;
 	netdev->irq = adapter->msix_entries[0].vector;
 
-	if (qlcnic_read_mac_addr(adapter))
-		dev_warn(&pdev->dev, "failed to read mac addr\n");
-
 	netif_carrier_off(netdev);
 	netif_stop_queue(netdev);
 
@@ -1515,9 +1526,6 @@ qlcnic_probe(struct pci_dev *pdev, const struct pci_device_id *ent)
 		goto err_out_iounmap;
 	}
 
-	if (qlcnic_read_mac_addr(adapter))
-		dev_warn(&pdev->dev, "failed to read mac addr\n");
-
 	err = qlcnic_setup_idc_param(adapter);
 	if (err)
 		goto err_out_iounmap;