diff --git a/drivers/staging/fsl-dpaa2/ethsw/ethsw.c b/drivers/staging/fsl-dpaa2/ethsw/ethsw.c
index 46aa37093e86e..b57bc705c2ee9 100644
--- a/drivers/staging/fsl-dpaa2/ethsw/ethsw.c
+++ b/drivers/staging/fsl-dpaa2/ethsw/ethsw.c
@@ -445,6 +445,12 @@ static int port_carrier_state_sync(struct net_device *netdev)
 	struct dpsw_link_state state;
 	int err;
 
+	/* Interrupts are received even though no one issued an 'ifconfig up'
+	 * on the switch interface. Ignore these link state update interrupts
+	 */
+	if (!netif_running(netdev))
+		return 0;
+
 	err = dpsw_if_get_link_state(port_priv->ethsw_data->mc_io, 0,
 				     port_priv->ethsw_data->dpsw_handle,
 				     port_priv->idx, &state);