diff --git a/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/i40evf/i40evf_client.c b/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/i40evf/i40evf_client.c
index 5b43e5b6e2ebc4946dcd29697659782f67ddff71..ee737680a0e9de4db7cd7db6f65575fabbe0b0e4 100644
--- a/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/i40evf/i40evf_client.c
+++ b/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/i40evf/i40evf_client.c
@@ -34,12 +34,12 @@ static struct i40e_ops i40evf_lan_ops = {
  **/
 void i40evf_notify_client_message(struct i40e_vsi *vsi, u8 *msg, u16 len)
 {
-	struct i40evf_adapter *adapter = vsi->back;
-	struct i40e_client_instance *cinst = adapter->cinst;
+	struct i40e_client_instance *cinst;
 
 	if (!vsi)
 		return;
 
+	cinst = vsi->back->cinst;
 	if (!cinst || !cinst->client || !cinst->client->ops ||
 	    !cinst->client->ops->virtchnl_receive) {
 		dev_dbg(&vsi->back->pdev->dev,
@@ -58,12 +58,13 @@ void i40evf_notify_client_message(struct i40e_vsi *vsi, u8 *msg, u16 len)
  **/
 void i40evf_notify_client_l2_params(struct i40e_vsi *vsi)
 {
-	struct i40evf_adapter *adapter = vsi->back;
-	struct i40e_client_instance *cinst = adapter->cinst;
+	struct i40e_client_instance *cinst;
 	struct i40e_params params;
 
 	if (!vsi)
 		return;
+
+	cinst = vsi->back->cinst;
 	memset(&params, 0, sizeof(params));
 	params.mtu = vsi->netdev->mtu;
 	params.link_up = vsi->back->link_up;