diff --git a/drivers/net/ethernet/atheros/alx/main.c b/drivers/net/ethernet/atheros/alx/main.c
index 75cbd46e429d130b528a2f7aa10452b5a2c45b2e..7dcc907a449d60adcbeb27cf58434edb0442792b 100644
--- a/drivers/net/ethernet/atheros/alx/main.c
+++ b/drivers/net/ethernet/atheros/alx/main.c
@@ -685,8 +685,6 @@ static int alx_alloc_rings(struct alx_priv *alx)
 		return -ENOMEM;
 	}
 
-	alx_reinit_rings(alx);
-
 	return 0;
 }
 
@@ -1242,6 +1240,12 @@ static int __alx_open(struct alx_priv *alx, bool resume)
 	if (err)
 		goto out_free_rings;
 
+	/* must be called after alx_request_irq because the chip stops working
+	 * if we copy the dma addresses in alx_init_ring_ptrs twice when
+	 * requesting msi-x interrupts failed
+	 */
+	alx_reinit_rings(alx);
+
 	netif_set_real_num_tx_queues(alx->dev, alx->num_txq);
 	netif_set_real_num_rx_queues(alx->dev, alx->num_rxq);