diff --git a/net/ipv6/addrconf.c b/net/ipv6/addrconf.c
index 6119ab33a56e..30ca73c78125 100644
--- a/net/ipv6/addrconf.c
+++ b/net/ipv6/addrconf.c
@@ -3539,6 +3539,7 @@ static int addrconf_ifdown(struct net_device *dev, int how)
 	struct list_head del_list;
 	int _keep_addr;
 	bool keep_addr;
+	bool was_ready;
 	int state, i;
 
 	ASSERT_RTNL();
@@ -3602,7 +3603,10 @@ restart:
 
 	addrconf_del_rs_timer(idev);
 
-	/* Step 2: clear flags for stateless addrconf */
+	/* Step 2: clear flags for stateless addrconf, repeated down
+	 *         detection
+	 */
+	was_ready = idev->if_flags & IF_READY;
 	if (!how)
 		idev->if_flags &= ~(IF_RS_SENT|IF_RA_RCVD|IF_READY);
 
@@ -3689,7 +3693,7 @@ restart:
 	if (how) {
 		ipv6_ac_destroy_dev(idev);
 		ipv6_mc_destroy_dev(idev);
-	} else {
+	} else if (was_ready) {
 		ipv6_mc_down(idev);
 	}