diff --git a/drivers/net/tg3.c b/drivers/net/tg3.c
index e3fd74b871a3b2ddcfc53c906a3730bb9c983faa..13640f1cab3bdcc73f9e0c6782fa3340ed413d80 100644
--- a/drivers/net/tg3.c
+++ b/drivers/net/tg3.c
@@ -5495,7 +5495,7 @@ static void tg3_ape_send_event(struct tg3 *tp, u32 event)
 		return;
 
 	apedata = tg3_ape_read32(tp, TG3_APE_FW_STATUS);
-	if (apedata != APE_FW_STATUS_READY)
+	if (!(apedata & APE_FW_STATUS_READY))
 		return;
 
 	/* Wait for up to 1 millisecond for APE to service previous event. */