diff --git a/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/i40e/i40e_virtchnl_pf.c b/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/i40e/i40e_virtchnl_pf.c
index 21ee56420c3a..7efc61aacb0a 100644
--- a/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/i40e/i40e_virtchnl_pf.c
+++ b/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/i40e/i40e_virtchnl_pf.c
@@ -4046,20 +4046,16 @@ int i40e_ndo_set_vf_mac(struct net_device *netdev, int vf_id, u8 *mac)
 		goto error_param;
 
 	vf = &pf->vf[vf_id];
-	vsi = pf->vsi[vf->lan_vsi_idx];
 
 	/* When the VF is resetting wait until it is done.
 	 * It can take up to 200 milliseconds,
 	 * but wait for up to 300 milliseconds to be safe.
-	 * If the VF is indeed in reset, the vsi pointer has
-	 * to show on the newly loaded vsi under pf->vsi[id].
+	 * Acquire the VSI pointer only after the VF has been
+	 * properly initialized.
 	 */
 	for (i = 0; i < 15; i++) {
-		if (test_bit(I40E_VF_STATE_INIT, &vf->vf_states)) {
-			if (i > 0)
-				vsi = pf->vsi[vf->lan_vsi_idx];
+		if (test_bit(I40E_VF_STATE_INIT, &vf->vf_states))
 			break;
-		}
 		msleep(20);
 	}
 	if (!test_bit(I40E_VF_STATE_INIT, &vf->vf_states)) {
@@ -4068,6 +4064,7 @@ int i40e_ndo_set_vf_mac(struct net_device *netdev, int vf_id, u8 *mac)
 		ret = -EAGAIN;
 		goto error_param;
 	}
+	vsi = pf->vsi[vf->lan_vsi_idx];
 
 	if (is_multicast_ether_addr(mac)) {
 		dev_err(&pf->pdev->dev,