diff --git a/drivers/net/ethernet/qualcomm/qca_spi.c b/drivers/net/ethernet/qualcomm/qca_spi.c
index 5f3c11fb3fa2..77bab8bf5203 100644
--- a/drivers/net/ethernet/qualcomm/qca_spi.c
+++ b/drivers/net/ethernet/qualcomm/qca_spi.c
@@ -730,8 +730,10 @@ qcaspi_netdev_close(struct net_device *dev)
 	qcaspi_write_register(qca, SPI_REG_INTR_ENABLE, 0, wr_verify);
 	free_irq(qca->spi_dev->irq, qca);
 
-	kthread_stop(qca->spi_thread);
-	qca->spi_thread = NULL;
+	if (qca->spi_thread) {
+		kthread_stop(qca->spi_thread);
+		qca->spi_thread = NULL;
+	}
 	qcaspi_flush_tx_ring(qca);
 
 	return 0;