diff --git a/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/ixgb/ixgb_main.c b/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/ixgb/ixgb_main.c
index 11a1bdbe3fd9..31f91459312f 100644
--- a/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/ixgb/ixgb_main.c
+++ b/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/ixgb/ixgb_main.c
@@ -285,6 +285,8 @@ ixgb_down(struct ixgb_adapter *adapter, bool kill_watchdog)
 	/* prevent the interrupt handler from restarting watchdog */
 	set_bit(__IXGB_DOWN, &adapter->flags);
 
+	netif_carrier_off(netdev);
+
 	napi_disable(&adapter->napi);
 	/* waiting for NAPI to complete can re-enable interrupts */
 	ixgb_irq_disable(adapter);
@@ -298,7 +300,6 @@ ixgb_down(struct ixgb_adapter *adapter, bool kill_watchdog)
 
 	adapter->link_speed = 0;
 	adapter->link_duplex = 0;
-	netif_carrier_off(netdev);
 	netif_stop_queue(netdev);
 
 	ixgb_reset(adapter);