diff --git a/drivers/net/ethernet/mellanox/mlx5/core/en_accel/ipsec.c b/drivers/net/ethernet/mellanox/mlx5/core/en_accel/ipsec.c
index 0bda5a91bff6..5fd609d1120e 100644
--- a/drivers/net/ethernet/mellanox/mlx5/core/en_accel/ipsec.c
+++ b/drivers/net/ethernet/mellanox/mlx5/core/en_accel/ipsec.c
@@ -422,6 +422,11 @@ static int mlx5e_xfrm_validate_state(struct mlx5_core_dev *mdev,
 		return -EINVAL;
 	}
 
+	if (x->props.mode != XFRM_MODE_TRANSPORT && x->props.mode != XFRM_MODE_TUNNEL) {
+		NL_SET_ERR_MSG_MOD(extack, "Only transport and tunnel xfrm states may be offloaded");
+		return -EINVAL;
+	}
+
 	switch (x->xso.type) {
 	case XFRM_DEV_OFFLOAD_CRYPTO:
 		if (!(mlx5_ipsec_device_caps(mdev) & MLX5_IPSEC_CAP_CRYPTO)) {
@@ -429,11 +434,6 @@ static int mlx5e_xfrm_validate_state(struct mlx5_core_dev *mdev,
 			return -EINVAL;
 		}
 
-		if (x->props.mode != XFRM_MODE_TRANSPORT &&
-		    x->props.mode != XFRM_MODE_TUNNEL) {
-			NL_SET_ERR_MSG_MOD(extack, "Only transport and tunnel xfrm states may be offloaded");
-			return -EINVAL;
-		}
 		break;
 	case XFRM_DEV_OFFLOAD_PACKET:
 		if (!(mlx5_ipsec_device_caps(mdev) &
@@ -442,8 +442,9 @@ static int mlx5e_xfrm_validate_state(struct mlx5_core_dev *mdev,
 			return -EINVAL;
 		}
 
-		if (x->props.mode != XFRM_MODE_TRANSPORT) {
-			NL_SET_ERR_MSG_MOD(extack, "Only transport xfrm states may be offloaded in packet mode");
+		if (x->props.mode == XFRM_MODE_TUNNEL &&
+		    !(mlx5_ipsec_device_caps(mdev) & MLX5_IPSEC_CAP_TUNNEL)) {
+			NL_SET_ERR_MSG_MOD(extack, "Packet offload is not supported for tunnel mode");
 			return -EINVAL;
 		}