diff --git a/drivers/net/bonding/bond_main.c b/drivers/net/bonding/bond_main.c
index a3ea44997a2a..04119b1e7cdb 100644
--- a/drivers/net/bonding/bond_main.c
+++ b/drivers/net/bonding/bond_main.c
@@ -1461,7 +1461,7 @@ static bool bond_should_deliver_exact_match(struct sk_buff *skb,
 					    struct slave *slave,
 					    struct bonding *bond)
 {
-	if (slave->dev->priv_flags & IFF_SLAVE_INACTIVE) {
+	if (bond_is_slave_inactive(slave)) {
 		if (slave_do_arp_validate(bond, slave) &&
 		    skb->protocol == __cpu_to_be16(ETH_P_ARP))
 			return false;
@@ -2122,7 +2122,7 @@ int bond_release(struct net_device *bond_dev, struct net_device *slave_dev)
 
 	dev_set_mtu(slave_dev, slave->original_mtu);
 
-	slave_dev->priv_flags &= ~(IFF_SLAVE_INACTIVE | IFF_BONDING);
+	slave_dev->priv_flags &= ~IFF_BONDING;
 
 	kfree(slave);
 
@@ -2233,8 +2233,6 @@ static int bond_release_all(struct net_device *bond_dev)
 			dev_set_mac_address(slave_dev, &addr);
 		}
 
-		slave_dev->priv_flags &= ~IFF_SLAVE_INACTIVE;
-
 		kfree(slave);
 
 		/* re-acquire the lock before getting the next slave */
diff --git a/drivers/net/bonding/bond_sysfs.c b/drivers/net/bonding/bond_sysfs.c
index c81b97cffaa3..de87aea6d01a 100644
--- a/drivers/net/bonding/bond_sysfs.c
+++ b/drivers/net/bonding/bond_sysfs.c
@@ -1584,9 +1584,9 @@ static ssize_t bonding_store_slaves_active(struct device *d,
 	bond_for_each_slave(bond, slave, i) {
 		if (!bond_is_active_slave(slave)) {
 			if (new_value)
-				slave->dev->priv_flags &= ~IFF_SLAVE_INACTIVE;
+				slave->inactive = 0;
 			else
-				slave->dev->priv_flags |= IFF_SLAVE_INACTIVE;
+				slave->inactive = 1;
 		}
 	}
 out:
diff --git a/drivers/net/bonding/bonding.h b/drivers/net/bonding/bonding.h
index 63e9cf779389..6b26962fd0ec 100644
--- a/drivers/net/bonding/bonding.h
+++ b/drivers/net/bonding/bonding.h
@@ -192,8 +192,9 @@ struct slave {
 	unsigned long last_arp_rx;
 	s8     link;    /* one of BOND_LINK_XXXX */
 	s8     new_link;
-	u8     backup;	/* indicates backup slave. Value corresponds with
-			   BOND_STATE_ACTIVE and BOND_STATE_BACKUP */
+	u8     backup:1,   /* indicates backup slave. Value corresponds with
+			      BOND_STATE_ACTIVE and BOND_STATE_BACKUP */
+	       inactive:1; /* indicates inactive slave */
 	u32    original_mtu;
 	u32    link_failure_count;
 	u8     perm_hwaddr[ETH_ALEN];
@@ -376,13 +377,18 @@ static inline void bond_set_slave_inactive_flags(struct slave *slave)
 	if (!bond_is_lb(bond))
 		bond_set_backup_slave(slave);
 	if (!bond->params.all_slaves_active)
-		slave->dev->priv_flags |= IFF_SLAVE_INACTIVE;
+		slave->inactive = 1;
 }
 
 static inline void bond_set_slave_active_flags(struct slave *slave)
 {
 	bond_set_active_slave(slave);
-	slave->dev->priv_flags &= ~IFF_SLAVE_INACTIVE;
+	slave->inactive = 0;
+}
+
+static inline bool bond_is_slave_inactive(struct slave *slave)
+{
+	return slave->inactive;
 }
 
 struct vlan_entry *bond_next_vlan(struct bonding *bond, struct vlan_entry *curr);