diff --git a/drivers/net/qlcnic/qlcnic_hw.c b/drivers/net/qlcnic/qlcnic_hw.c
index da00e162b6d348c62558a0aa9194b193e4a844c2..b1753138ac987ce0ce4174cffee4ded14933945e 100644
--- a/drivers/net/qlcnic/qlcnic_hw.c
+++ b/drivers/net/qlcnic/qlcnic_hw.c
@@ -430,6 +430,9 @@ void qlcnic_set_multi(struct net_device *netdev)
 	u8 bcast_addr[ETH_ALEN] = { 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff };
 	u32 mode = VPORT_MISS_MODE_DROP;
 
+	if (adapter->is_up != QLCNIC_ADAPTER_UP_MAGIC)
+		return;
+
 	qlcnic_nic_add_mac(adapter, adapter->mac_addr);
 	qlcnic_nic_add_mac(adapter, bcast_addr);