diff --git a/drivers/s390/net/qeth_l2_main.c b/drivers/s390/net/qeth_l2_main.c
index 692bd26234018f2a260fa16d3085616390a6fab9..9972d96820f3ffbf97513419a19397f75631e8bf 100644
--- a/drivers/s390/net/qeth_l2_main.c
+++ b/drivers/s390/net/qeth_l2_main.c
@@ -1707,15 +1707,14 @@ int qeth_l2_vnicc_set_state(struct qeth_card *card, u32 vnicc, bool state)
 
 	QETH_CARD_TEXT(card, 2, "vniccsch");
 
-	/* do not change anything if BridgePort is enabled */
-	if (qeth_bridgeport_is_in_use(card))
-		return -EBUSY;
-
 	/* check if characteristic and enable/disable are supported */
 	if (!(card->options.vnicc.sup_chars & vnicc) ||
 	    !(card->options.vnicc.set_char_sup & vnicc))
 		return -EOPNOTSUPP;
 
+	if (qeth_bridgeport_is_in_use(card))
+		return -EBUSY;
+
 	/* set enable/disable command and store wanted characteristic */
 	if (state) {
 		cmd = IPA_VNICC_ENABLE;
@@ -1761,14 +1760,13 @@ int qeth_l2_vnicc_get_state(struct qeth_card *card, u32 vnicc, bool *state)
 
 	QETH_CARD_TEXT(card, 2, "vniccgch");
 
-	/* do not get anything if BridgePort is enabled */
-	if (qeth_bridgeport_is_in_use(card))
-		return -EBUSY;
-
 	/* check if characteristic is supported */
 	if (!(card->options.vnicc.sup_chars & vnicc))
 		return -EOPNOTSUPP;
 
+	if (qeth_bridgeport_is_in_use(card))
+		return -EBUSY;
+
 	/* if card is ready, query current VNICC state */
 	if (qeth_card_hw_is_reachable(card))
 		rc = qeth_l2_vnicc_query_chars(card);
@@ -1786,15 +1784,14 @@ int qeth_l2_vnicc_set_timeout(struct qeth_card *card, u32 timeout)
 
 	QETH_CARD_TEXT(card, 2, "vniccsto");
 
-	/* do not change anything if BridgePort is enabled */
-	if (qeth_bridgeport_is_in_use(card))
-		return -EBUSY;
-
 	/* check if characteristic and set_timeout are supported */
 	if (!(card->options.vnicc.sup_chars & QETH_VNICC_LEARNING) ||
 	    !(card->options.vnicc.getset_timeout_sup & QETH_VNICC_LEARNING))
 		return -EOPNOTSUPP;
 
+	if (qeth_bridgeport_is_in_use(card))
+		return -EBUSY;
+
 	/* do we need to do anything? */
 	if (card->options.vnicc.learning_timeout == timeout)
 		return rc;
@@ -1823,14 +1820,14 @@ int qeth_l2_vnicc_get_timeout(struct qeth_card *card, u32 *timeout)
 
 	QETH_CARD_TEXT(card, 2, "vniccgto");
 
-	/* do not get anything if BridgePort is enabled */
-	if (qeth_bridgeport_is_in_use(card))
-		return -EBUSY;
-
 	/* check if characteristic and get_timeout are supported */
 	if (!(card->options.vnicc.sup_chars & QETH_VNICC_LEARNING) ||
 	    !(card->options.vnicc.getset_timeout_sup & QETH_VNICC_LEARNING))
 		return -EOPNOTSUPP;
+
+	if (qeth_bridgeport_is_in_use(card))
+		return -EBUSY;
+
 	/* if card is ready, get timeout. Otherwise, just return stored value */
 	*timeout = card->options.vnicc.learning_timeout;
 	if (qeth_card_hw_is_reachable(card))