diff --git a/drivers/block/aoe/aoe.h b/drivers/block/aoe/aoe.h
index 7b694f7da2de2529a0032ebc3a67b906d3be2fa4..4ae2468b4a06a44395e503e67d131b40c1720d99 100644
--- a/drivers/block/aoe/aoe.h
+++ b/drivers/block/aoe/aoe.h
@@ -49,8 +49,6 @@ struct aoe_hdr {
 	__be32 tag;
 };
 
-#define AOE_MAXSHELF (0xffff-1)	/* one less than the broadcast shelf address */
-
 struct aoe_atahdr {
 	unsigned char aflags;
 	unsigned char errfeat;
diff --git a/drivers/block/aoe/aoecmd.c b/drivers/block/aoe/aoecmd.c
index 94e810c36de1e46fea74c30d7427201d47f41380..3804a0af3ef192c441643eee425d06f747b86d97 100644
--- a/drivers/block/aoe/aoecmd.c
+++ b/drivers/block/aoe/aoecmd.c
@@ -1349,15 +1349,14 @@ aoecmd_cfg_rsp(struct sk_buff *skb)
 			"Check shelf dip switches.\n");
 		return;
 	}
-	if (aoemajor > AOE_MAXSHELF) {
-		pr_info("aoe: e%ld.%d: shelf number too large\n",
+	if (aoemajor == 0xffff) {
+		pr_info("aoe: e%ld.%d: broadcast shelf number invalid\n",
 			aoemajor, (int) h->minor);
 		return;
 	}
-
-	d = aoedev_by_aoeaddr(aoemajor, h->minor, 1);
-	if (d == NULL) {
-		pr_info("aoe: device allocation failure\n");
+	if (h->minor == 0xff) {
+		pr_info("aoe: e%ld.%d: broadcast slot number invalid\n",
+			aoemajor, (int) h->minor);
 		return;
 	}
 
@@ -1365,6 +1364,12 @@ aoecmd_cfg_rsp(struct sk_buff *skb)
 	if (n > aoe_maxout)	/* keep it reasonable */
 		n = aoe_maxout;
 
+	d = aoedev_by_aoeaddr(aoemajor, h->minor, 1);
+	if (d == NULL) {
+		pr_info("aoe: device allocation failure\n");
+		return;
+	}
+
 	spin_lock_irqsave(&d->lock, flags);
 
 	t = gettgt(d, h->src);