diff --git a/drivers/net/ethernet/mellanox/mlx5/core/en_ethtool.c b/drivers/net/ethernet/mellanox/mlx5/core/en_ethtool.c
index 26ad27b3f687..f6beb5ef5971 100644
--- a/drivers/net/ethernet/mellanox/mlx5/core/en_ethtool.c
+++ b/drivers/net/ethernet/mellanox/mlx5/core/en_ethtool.c
@@ -1400,6 +1400,9 @@ static int mlx5e_set_pauseparam(struct net_device *netdev,
 	struct mlx5_core_dev *mdev = priv->mdev;
 	int err;
 
+	if (!MLX5_CAP_GEN(mdev, vport_group_manager))
+		return -EOPNOTSUPP;
+
 	if (pauseparam->autoneg)
 		return -EINVAL;