diff --git a/drivers/net/ethernet/chelsio/cxgb3/cxgb3_main.c b/drivers/net/ethernet/chelsio/cxgb3/cxgb3_main.c
index d1a2159e40d6..9627ed0b2f1c 100644
--- a/drivers/net/ethernet/chelsio/cxgb3/cxgb3_main.c
+++ b/drivers/net/ethernet/chelsio/cxgb3/cxgb3_main.c
@@ -2440,6 +2440,8 @@ static int cxgb_extension_ioctl(struct net_device *dev, void __user *useraddr)
 
 		if (!is_offload(adapter))
 			return -EOPNOTSUPP;
+		if (!capable(CAP_NET_ADMIN))
+			return -EPERM;
 		if (!(adapter->flags & FULL_INIT_DONE))
 			return -EIO;	/* need the memory controllers */
 		if (copy_from_user(&t, useraddr, sizeof(t)))