diff --git a/include/linux/ethtool.h b/include/linux/ethtool.h
index 886e127d51a6153b90b2826fafb95a70150fccc0..de687a97c6e78b512690d32a93aa989028874efd 100644
--- a/include/linux/ethtool.h
+++ b/include/linux/ethtool.h
@@ -168,8 +168,8 @@ static inline u32 ethtool_rxfh_indir_default(u32 index, u32 n_rx_rings)
  * @set_rxfh_indir: Set the contents of the RX flow hash indirection table.
  *	Will not be called if @get_rxfh_indir_size returns zero.
  * @set_rxfh: Set the contents of the RX flow hash indirection table and/or
- *	hash key.  Either or both arguments may be %NULL if that attribute
- *	is not to be changed.
+ *	hash key.  In case only the indirection table or hash key is to be
+ *	changed, the other argument will be %NULL.
  *	Will only be called if one or both of @get_rxfh_indir_size and
  *	@get_rxfh_key_size are implemented and return non-zero.
  *	Returns a negative error code or zero.
diff --git a/net/core/ethtool.c b/net/core/ethtool.c
index 7156fe5ca876271b4ee0023764518fedcdb5b627..b8857348bdf3b4c18d769bbbd97d1ac8d2e8da1b 100644
--- a/net/core/ethtool.c
+++ b/net/core/ethtool.c
@@ -802,11 +802,14 @@ static noinline_for_stack int ethtool_set_rxfh(struct net_device *dev,
 		return -EFAULT;
 
 	/* If either indir or hash key is valid, proceed further.
+	 * It is not valid to request that both be unchanged.
 	 */
 	if ((user_indir_size &&
 	     user_indir_size != ETH_RXFH_INDIR_NO_CHANGE &&
 	     user_indir_size != dev_indir_size) ||
-	    (user_key_size && (user_key_size != dev_key_size)))
+	    (user_key_size && (user_key_size != dev_key_size)) ||
+	    (user_indir_size == ETH_RXFH_INDIR_NO_CHANGE &&
+	     user_key_size == 0))
 		return -EINVAL;
 
 	if (user_indir_size != ETH_RXFH_INDIR_NO_CHANGE)