diff --git a/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/igbvf/netdev.c b/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/igbvf/netdev.c
index c17ea4b8f84d07bcaafe8965e5ff821d4b7b5480..95af14e139d769254e8b3e20982b37a5888ebbba 100644
--- a/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/igbvf/netdev.c
+++ b/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/igbvf/netdev.c
@@ -1519,6 +1519,7 @@ void igbvf_down(struct igbvf_adapter *adapter)
 	rxdctl = er32(RXDCTL(0));
 	ew32(RXDCTL(0), rxdctl & ~E1000_RXDCTL_QUEUE_ENABLE);
 
+	netif_carrier_off(netdev);
 	netif_stop_queue(netdev);
 
 	/* disable transmits in the hardware */
@@ -1535,8 +1536,6 @@ void igbvf_down(struct igbvf_adapter *adapter)
 
 	del_timer_sync(&adapter->watchdog_timer);
 
-	netif_carrier_off(netdev);
-
 	/* record the stats before reset*/
 	igbvf_update_stats(adapter);