diff --git a/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/fm10k/fm10k_iov.c b/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/fm10k/fm10k_iov.c
index 2ec49116fe91049bc6ff0e00b1a537c6f5d445a6..d8356c494f065c265736c17b23125ecf2c612089 100644
--- a/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/fm10k/fm10k_iov.c
+++ b/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/fm10k/fm10k_iov.c
@@ -143,6 +143,10 @@ s32 fm10k_iov_mbx(struct fm10k_intfc *interface)
 		if (!hw->mbx.ops.tx_ready(&hw->mbx, FM10K_VFMBX_MSG_MTU)) {
 			/* keep track of how many times this occurs */
 			interface->hw_sm_mbx_full++;
+
+			/* make sure we try again momentarily */
+			fm10k_service_event_schedule(interface);
+
 			break;
 		}