diff --git a/drivers/s390/net/qeth_core_main.c b/drivers/s390/net/qeth_core_main.c
index 09ab6a2d3e495e2b4777abb616602b871785b6da..e6b2df0e73f56a4b143365be8302875c600c49bc 100644
--- a/drivers/s390/net/qeth_core_main.c
+++ b/drivers/s390/net/qeth_core_main.c
@@ -2903,7 +2903,7 @@ void qeth_qdio_start_poll(struct ccw_device *ccwdev, int queue,
 {
 	struct qeth_card *card = (struct qeth_card *)card_ptr;
 
-	if (card->dev)
+	if (card->dev && (card->dev->flags & IFF_UP))
 		napi_schedule(&card->napi);
 }
 EXPORT_SYMBOL_GPL(qeth_qdio_start_poll);