diff --git a/drivers/net/ethernet/marvell/octeontx2/nic/otx2_pf.c b/drivers/net/ethernet/marvell/octeontx2/nic/otx2_pf.c
index 161174be51c3..54aeb276b9a0 100644
--- a/drivers/net/ethernet/marvell/octeontx2/nic/otx2_pf.c
+++ b/drivers/net/ethernet/marvell/octeontx2/nic/otx2_pf.c
@@ -1589,11 +1589,20 @@ int otx2_open(struct net_device *netdev)
 	otx2_config_pause_frm(pf);
 
 	err = otx2_rxtx_enable(pf, true);
-	if (err)
+	/* If a mbox communication error happens at this point then interface
+	 * will end up in a state such that it is in down state but hardware
+	 * mcam entries are enabled to receive the packets. Hence disable the
+	 * packet I/O.
+	 */
+	if (err == EIO)
+		goto err_disable_rxtx;
+	else if (err)
 		goto err_tx_stop_queues;
 
 	return 0;
 
+err_disable_rxtx:
+	otx2_rxtx_enable(pf, false);
 err_tx_stop_queues:
 	netif_tx_stop_all_queues(netdev);
 	netif_carrier_off(netdev);