diff --git a/drivers/net/ethernet/netronome/nfp/nfpcore/nfp_nsp.c b/drivers/net/ethernet/netronome/nfp/nfpcore/nfp_nsp.c
index 42cf4fd875eacf34a4e287180b63a57192a1ea48..9a08623c325dfd4357825b48a580eb4a77d2b430 100644
--- a/drivers/net/ethernet/netronome/nfp/nfpcore/nfp_nsp.c
+++ b/drivers/net/ethernet/netronome/nfp/nfpcore/nfp_nsp.c
@@ -241,11 +241,16 @@ static int nfp_nsp_check(struct nfp_nsp *state)
 	state->ver.major = FIELD_GET(NSP_STATUS_MAJOR, reg);
 	state->ver.minor = FIELD_GET(NSP_STATUS_MINOR, reg);
 
-	if (state->ver.major != NSP_MAJOR || state->ver.minor < NSP_MINOR) {
+	if (state->ver.major != NSP_MAJOR) {
 		nfp_err(cpp, "Unsupported ABI %hu.%hu\n",
 			state->ver.major, state->ver.minor);
 		return -EINVAL;
 	}
+	if (state->ver.minor < NSP_MINOR) {
+		nfp_err(cpp, "ABI too old to support NIC operation (%u.%hu < %u.%u), please update the management FW on the flash\n",
+			NSP_MAJOR, state->ver.minor, NSP_MAJOR, NSP_MINOR);
+		return -EINVAL;
+	}
 
 	if (reg & NSP_STATUS_BUSY) {
 		nfp_err(cpp, "Service processor busy!\n");