diff --git a/drivers/net/ethernet/broadcom/bnxt/bnxt_ethtool.c b/drivers/net/ethernet/broadcom/bnxt/bnxt_ethtool.c
index 6b88143af5ea19e5c021cf6442d7cc77bd6fb4bc..b4aa56dc4f9fb4c61ac7dd3f0a9fb0d3e23be2b7 100644
--- a/drivers/net/ethernet/broadcom/bnxt/bnxt_ethtool.c
+++ b/drivers/net/ethernet/broadcom/bnxt/bnxt_ethtool.c
@@ -1765,8 +1765,11 @@ static int bnxt_set_pauseparam(struct net_device *dev,
 	if (epause->tx_pause)
 		link_info->req_flow_ctrl |= BNXT_LINK_PAUSE_TX;
 
-	if (netif_running(dev))
+	if (netif_running(dev)) {
+		mutex_lock(&bp->link_lock);
 		rc = bnxt_hwrm_set_pause(bp);
+		mutex_unlock(&bp->link_lock);
+	}
 	return rc;
 }