diff --git a/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/iavf/iavf_main.c b/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/iavf/iavf_main.c
index 7dddf9800e2f1..e78c38d024321 100644
--- a/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/iavf/iavf_main.c
+++ b/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/iavf/iavf_main.c
@@ -3831,6 +3831,29 @@ static int iavf_handle_tclass(struct iavf_adapter *adapter, u32 tc,
 	return 0;
 }
 
+/**
+ * iavf_find_cf - Find the cloud filter in the list
+ * @adapter: Board private structure
+ * @cookie: filter specific cookie
+ *
+ * Returns ptr to the filter object or NULL. Must be called while holding the
+ * cloud_filter_list_lock.
+ */
+static struct iavf_cloud_filter *iavf_find_cf(struct iavf_adapter *adapter,
+					      unsigned long *cookie)
+{
+	struct iavf_cloud_filter *filter = NULL;
+
+	if (!cookie)
+		return NULL;
+
+	list_for_each_entry(filter, &adapter->cloud_filter_list, list) {
+		if (!memcmp(cookie, &filter->cookie, sizeof(filter->cookie)))
+			return filter;
+	}
+	return NULL;
+}
+
 /**
  * iavf_configure_clsflower - Add tc flower filters
  * @adapter: board private structure
@@ -3862,6 +3885,15 @@ static int iavf_configure_clsflower(struct iavf_adapter *adapter,
 
 	filter->cookie = cls_flower->cookie;
 
+	/* bail out here if filter already exists */
+	spin_lock_bh(&adapter->cloud_filter_list_lock);
+	if (iavf_find_cf(adapter, &cls_flower->cookie)) {
+		dev_err(&adapter->pdev->dev, "Failed to add TC Flower filter, it already exists\n");
+		err = -EEXIST;
+		goto spin_unlock;
+	}
+	spin_unlock_bh(&adapter->cloud_filter_list_lock);
+
 	/* set the mask to all zeroes to begin with */
 	memset(&filter->f.mask.tcp_spec, 0, sizeof(struct virtchnl_l4_spec));
 	/* start out with flow type and eth type IPv4 to begin with */
@@ -3880,6 +3912,7 @@ static int iavf_configure_clsflower(struct iavf_adapter *adapter,
 	adapter->num_cloud_filters++;
 	filter->add = true;
 	adapter->aq_required |= IAVF_FLAG_AQ_ADD_CLOUD_FILTER;
+spin_unlock:
 	spin_unlock_bh(&adapter->cloud_filter_list_lock);
 err:
 	if (err)
@@ -3889,28 +3922,6 @@ static int iavf_configure_clsflower(struct iavf_adapter *adapter,
 	return err;
 }
 
-/* iavf_find_cf - Find the cloud filter in the list
- * @adapter: Board private structure
- * @cookie: filter specific cookie
- *
- * Returns ptr to the filter object or NULL. Must be called while holding the
- * cloud_filter_list_lock.
- */
-static struct iavf_cloud_filter *iavf_find_cf(struct iavf_adapter *adapter,
-					      unsigned long *cookie)
-{
-	struct iavf_cloud_filter *filter = NULL;
-
-	if (!cookie)
-		return NULL;
-
-	list_for_each_entry(filter, &adapter->cloud_filter_list, list) {
-		if (!memcmp(cookie, &filter->cookie, sizeof(filter->cookie)))
-			return filter;
-	}
-	return NULL;
-}
-
 /**
  * iavf_delete_clsflower - Remove tc flower filters
  * @adapter: board private structure