diff --git a/drivers/net/ethernet/aquantia/atlantic/aq_nic.c b/drivers/net/ethernet/aquantia/atlantic/aq_nic.c
index c96a92118b8b85272e7c3551dc5de31da3bf8852..32f6d2e24d6692ce00ffe077f0c0bc970c90e825 100644
--- a/drivers/net/ethernet/aquantia/atlantic/aq_nic.c
+++ b/drivers/net/ethernet/aquantia/atlantic/aq_nic.c
@@ -951,9 +951,11 @@ void aq_nic_shutdown(struct aq_nic_s *self)
 
 	netif_device_detach(self->ndev);
 
-	err = aq_nic_stop(self);
-	if (err < 0)
-		goto err_exit;
+	if (netif_running(self->ndev)) {
+		err = aq_nic_stop(self);
+		if (err < 0)
+			goto err_exit;
+	}
 	aq_nic_deinit(self);
 
 err_exit: