diff --git a/drivers/net/ethernet/sun/sunvnet.c b/drivers/net/ethernet/sun/sunvnet.c
index deb395a82e50b7f2a477a83214328482ae121e91..826b3852c7df969d130635ff19331618799dcf18 100644
--- a/drivers/net/ethernet/sun/sunvnet.c
+++ b/drivers/net/ethernet/sun/sunvnet.c
@@ -572,7 +572,7 @@ static int vnet_ack(struct vnet_port *port, void *msgbuf)
 	 */
 	dr->cons = next_idx(end, dr);
 	desc = vio_dring_entry(dr, dr->cons);
-	if (desc->hdr.state == VIO_DESC_READY && port->start_cons) {
+	if (desc->hdr.state == VIO_DESC_READY && !port->start_cons) {
 		/* vnet_start_xmit() just populated this dring but missed
 		 * sending the "start" LDC message to the consumer.
 		 * Send a "start" trigger on its behalf.