diff --git a/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/i40e/i40e.h b/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/i40e/i40e.h
index 678e4190b8a8..e571c6116c4b 100644
--- a/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/i40e/i40e.h
+++ b/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/i40e/i40e.h
@@ -152,6 +152,7 @@ enum i40e_state_t {
 	__I40E_VIRTCHNL_OP_PENDING,
 	__I40E_RECOVERY_MODE,
 	__I40E_VF_RESETS_DISABLED,	/* disable resets during i40e_remove */
+	__I40E_VFS_RELEASING,
 	/* This must be last as it determines the size of the BITMAP */
 	__I40E_STATE_SIZE__,
 };
diff --git a/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/i40e/i40e_virtchnl_pf.c b/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/i40e/i40e_virtchnl_pf.c
index 5acd599d6b9a..e56107305486 100644
--- a/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/i40e/i40e_virtchnl_pf.c
+++ b/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/i40e/i40e_virtchnl_pf.c
@@ -137,6 +137,7 @@ void i40e_vc_notify_vf_reset(struct i40e_vf *vf)
  **/
 static inline void i40e_vc_disable_vf(struct i40e_vf *vf)
 {
+	struct i40e_pf *pf = vf->pf;
 	int i;
 
 	i40e_vc_notify_vf_reset(vf);
@@ -147,6 +148,11 @@ static inline void i40e_vc_disable_vf(struct i40e_vf *vf)
 	 * ensure a reset.
 	 */
 	for (i = 0; i < 20; i++) {
+		/* If PF is in VFs releasing state reset VF is impossible,
+		 * so leave it.
+		 */
+		if (test_bit(__I40E_VFS_RELEASING, pf->state))
+			return;
 		if (i40e_reset_vf(vf, false))
 			return;
 		usleep_range(10000, 20000);
@@ -1506,6 +1512,8 @@ void i40e_free_vfs(struct i40e_pf *pf)
 
 	if (!pf->vf)
 		return;
+
+	set_bit(__I40E_VFS_RELEASING, pf->state);
 	while (test_and_set_bit(__I40E_VF_DISABLE, pf->state))
 		usleep_range(1000, 2000);
 
@@ -1563,6 +1571,7 @@ void i40e_free_vfs(struct i40e_pf *pf)
 		}
 	}
 	clear_bit(__I40E_VF_DISABLE, pf->state);
+	clear_bit(__I40E_VFS_RELEASING, pf->state);
 }
 
 #ifdef CONFIG_PCI_IOV