diff --git a/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/fm10k/fm10k_iov.c b/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/fm10k/fm10k_iov.c
index 0601908642389..682d99350342e 100644
--- a/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/fm10k/fm10k_iov.c
+++ b/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/fm10k/fm10k_iov.c
@@ -145,6 +145,9 @@ s32 fm10k_iov_mbx(struct fm10k_intfc *interface)
 		struct fm10k_mbx_info *mbx = &vf_info->mbx;
 		u16 glort = vf_info->glort;
 
+		/* process the SM mailbox first to drain outgoing messages */
+		hw->mbx.ops.process(hw, &hw->mbx);
+
 		/* verify port mapping is valid, if not reset port */
 		if (vf_info->vf_flags && !fm10k_glort_valid_pf(hw, glort))
 			hw->iov.ops.reset_lport(hw, vf_info);