diff --git a/drivers/net/ethernet/atheros/alx/main.c b/drivers/net/ethernet/atheros/alx/main.c
index 4ad3fc72e74e323f65a333bd2baad0e815ea34b0..a89b93cb4e26d91c8ab1be848b4a06696b30946b 100644
--- a/drivers/net/ethernet/atheros/alx/main.c
+++ b/drivers/net/ethernet/atheros/alx/main.c
@@ -1181,8 +1181,11 @@ static int alx_change_mtu(struct net_device *netdev, int mtu)
 	alx->hw.mtu = mtu;
 	alx->rxbuf_size = max(max_frame, ALX_DEF_RXBUF_SIZE);
 	netdev_update_features(netdev);
-	if (netif_running(netdev))
+	if (netif_running(netdev)) {
+		mutex_lock(&alx->mtx);
 		alx_reinit(alx);
+		mutex_unlock(&alx->mtx);
+	}
 	return 0;
 }