diff --git a/drivers/net/virtio_net.c b/drivers/net/virtio_net.c
index ad14fbfa1864..8de7b6fbb5c3 100644
--- a/drivers/net/virtio_net.c
+++ b/drivers/net/virtio_net.c
@@ -2380,8 +2380,10 @@ static int virtnet_xdp_set(struct net_device *dev, struct bpf_prog *prog,
 	return 0;
 
 err:
-	for (i = 0; i < vi->max_queue_pairs; i++)
-		virtnet_napi_enable(vi->rq[i].vq, &vi->rq[i].napi);
+	if (netif_running(dev)) {
+		for (i = 0; i < vi->max_queue_pairs; i++)
+			virtnet_napi_enable(vi->rq[i].vq, &vi->rq[i].napi);
+	}
 	if (prog)
 		bpf_prog_sub(prog, vi->max_queue_pairs - 1);
 	return err;