diff --git a/drivers/net/ethernet/mellanox/mlx4/intf.c b/drivers/net/ethernet/mellanox/mlx4/intf.c
index 1a134e08f010..cfc2a7632201 100644
--- a/drivers/net/ethernet/mellanox/mlx4/intf.c
+++ b/drivers/net/ethernet/mellanox/mlx4/intf.c
@@ -217,6 +217,9 @@ void mlx4_unregister_device(struct mlx4_dev *dev)
 	struct mlx4_priv *priv = mlx4_priv(dev);
 	struct mlx4_interface *intf;
 
+	if (!(dev->persist->interface_state & MLX4_INTERFACE_STATE_UP))
+		return;
+
 	mlx4_stop_catas_poll(dev);
 	if (dev->persist->interface_state & MLX4_INTERFACE_STATE_DELETION &&
 	    mlx4_is_slave(dev)) {