diff --git a/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/i40e/i40e_main.c b/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/i40e/i40e_main.c
index f596f74cae4aaec40d9c80328374dde01c4f1a54..8e444114bfc7e69c47328c31a23fcb5c7e0b4c2a 100644
--- a/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/i40e/i40e_main.c
+++ b/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/i40e/i40e_main.c
@@ -305,6 +305,7 @@ static void i40e_tx_timeout(struct net_device *netdev)
 		break;
 	default:
 		netdev_err(netdev, "tx_timeout recovery unsuccessful\n");
+		set_bit(__I40E_DOWN, &vsi->state);
 		i40e_down(vsi);
 		break;
 	}