diff --git a/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/i40e/i40e_virtchnl_pf.c b/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/i40e/i40e_virtchnl_pf.c
index 520d86357c69..321ab4badb68 100644
--- a/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/i40e/i40e_virtchnl_pf.c
+++ b/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/i40e/i40e_virtchnl_pf.c
@@ -2368,25 +2368,47 @@ static int i40e_vc_get_stats_msg(struct i40e_vf *vf, u8 *msg, u16 msglen)
 /**
  * i40e_check_vf_permission
  * @vf: pointer to the VF info
- * @macaddr: pointer to the MAC Address being checked
+ * @al: MAC address list from virtchnl
  *
- * Check if the VF has permission to add or delete unicast MAC address
- * filters and return error code -EPERM if not.  Then check if the
- * address filter requested is broadcast or zero and if so return
- * an invalid MAC address error code.
+ * Check that the given list of MAC addresses is allowed. Will return -EPERM
+ * if any address in the list is not valid. Checks the following conditions:
+ *
+ * 1) broadcast and zero addresses are never valid
+ * 2) unicast addresses are not allowed if the VMM has administratively set
+ *    the VF MAC address, unless the VF is marked as privileged.
+ * 3) There is enough space to add all the addresses.
+ *
+ * Note that to guarantee consistency, it is expected this function be called
+ * while holding the mac_filter_hash_lock, as otherwise the current number of
+ * addresses might not be accurate.
  **/
-static inline int i40e_check_vf_permission(struct i40e_vf *vf, u8 *macaddr)
+static inline int i40e_check_vf_permission(struct i40e_vf *vf,
+					   struct virtchnl_ether_addr_list *al)
 {
 	struct i40e_pf *pf = vf->pf;
-	int ret = 0;
+	int i;
+
+	/* If this VF is not privileged, then we can't add more than a limited
+	 * number of addresses. Check to make sure that the additions do not
+	 * push us over the limit.
+	 */
+	if (!test_bit(I40E_VIRTCHNL_VF_CAP_PRIVILEGE, &vf->vf_caps) &&
+	    (vf->num_mac + al->num_elements) > I40E_VC_MAX_MAC_ADDR_PER_VF) {
+		dev_err(&pf->pdev->dev,
+			"Cannot add more MAC addresses, VF is not trusted, switch the VF to trusted to add more functionality\n");
+		return -EPERM;
+	}
+
+	for (i = 0; i < al->num_elements; i++) {
+		u8 *addr = al->list[i].addr;
+
+		if (is_broadcast_ether_addr(addr) ||
+		    is_zero_ether_addr(addr)) {
+			dev_err(&pf->pdev->dev, "invalid VF MAC addr %pM\n",
+				addr);
+			return I40E_ERR_INVALID_MAC_ADDR;
+		}
 
-	if (is_broadcast_ether_addr(macaddr) ||
-		   is_zero_ether_addr(macaddr)) {
-		dev_err(&pf->pdev->dev, "invalid VF MAC addr %pM\n", macaddr);
-		ret = I40E_ERR_INVALID_MAC_ADDR;
-	} else if (vf->pf_set_mac && !is_multicast_ether_addr(macaddr) &&
-		   !test_bit(I40E_VIRTCHNL_VF_CAP_PRIVILEGE, &vf->vf_caps) &&
-		   !ether_addr_equal(macaddr, vf->default_lan_addr.addr)) {
 		/* If the host VMM administrator has set the VF MAC address
 		 * administratively via the ndo_set_vf_mac command then deny
 		 * permission to the VF to add or delete unicast MAC addresses.
@@ -2394,16 +2416,16 @@ static inline int i40e_check_vf_permission(struct i40e_vf *vf, u8 *macaddr)
 		 * The VF may request to set the MAC address filter already
 		 * assigned to it so do not return an error in that case.
 		 */
-		dev_err(&pf->pdev->dev,
-			"VF attempting to override administratively set MAC address, reload the VF driver to resume normal operation\n");
-		ret = -EPERM;
-	} else if ((vf->num_mac >= I40E_VC_MAX_MAC_ADDR_PER_VF) &&
-		   !test_bit(I40E_VIRTCHNL_VF_CAP_PRIVILEGE, &vf->vf_caps)) {
-		dev_err(&pf->pdev->dev,
-			"VF is not trusted, switch the VF to trusted to add more functionality\n");
-		ret = -EPERM;
+		if (!test_bit(I40E_VIRTCHNL_VF_CAP_PRIVILEGE, &vf->vf_caps) &&
+		    !is_multicast_ether_addr(addr) && vf->pf_set_mac &&
+		    !ether_addr_equal(addr, vf->default_lan_addr.addr)) {
+			dev_err(&pf->pdev->dev,
+				"VF attempting to override administratively set MAC address, reload the VF driver to resume normal operation\n");
+			return -EPERM;
+		}
 	}
-	return ret;
+
+	return 0;
 }
 
 /**
@@ -2430,11 +2452,6 @@ static int i40e_vc_add_mac_addr_msg(struct i40e_vf *vf, u8 *msg, u16 msglen)
 		goto error_param;
 	}
 
-	for (i = 0; i < al->num_elements; i++) {
-		ret = i40e_check_vf_permission(vf, al->list[i].addr);
-		if (ret)
-			goto error_param;
-	}
 	vsi = pf->vsi[vf->lan_vsi_idx];
 
 	/* Lock once, because all function inside for loop accesses VSI's
@@ -2442,6 +2459,12 @@ static int i40e_vc_add_mac_addr_msg(struct i40e_vf *vf, u8 *msg, u16 msglen)
 	 */
 	spin_lock_bh(&vsi->mac_filter_hash_lock);
 
+	ret = i40e_check_vf_permission(vf, al);
+	if (ret) {
+		spin_unlock_bh(&vsi->mac_filter_hash_lock);
+		goto error_param;
+	}
+
 	/* add new addresses to the list */
 	for (i = 0; i < al->num_elements; i++) {
 		struct i40e_mac_filter *f;