diff --git a/drivers/net/ethernet/qlogic/qed/qed_main.c b/drivers/net/ethernet/qlogic/qed/qed_main.c
index aa48b1b7eddc52b2f3946141bd9b3d5a2b11f423..6871d892eabf1029044285d2251dfe08b1b92923 100644
--- a/drivers/net/ethernet/qlogic/qed/qed_main.c
+++ b/drivers/net/ethernet/qlogic/qed/qed_main.c
@@ -1215,6 +1215,10 @@ static void qed_slowpath_task(struct work_struct *work)
 
 	if (test_and_clear_bit(QED_SLOWPATH_PERIODIC_DB_REC,
 			       &hwfn->slowpath_task_flags)) {
+		/* skip qed_db_rec_handler during recovery/unload */
+		if (hwfn->cdev->recov_in_prog || !hwfn->slowpath_wq_active)
+			goto out;
+
 		qed_db_rec_handler(hwfn, ptt);
 		if (hwfn->periodic_db_rec_count--)
 			qed_slowpath_delayed_work(hwfn,
@@ -1222,6 +1226,7 @@ static void qed_slowpath_task(struct work_struct *work)
 						  QED_PERIODIC_DB_REC_INTERVAL);
 	}
 
+out:
 	qed_ptt_release(hwfn, ptt);
 }