diff --git a/drivers/net/ethernet/broadcom/bgmac.c b/drivers/net/ethernet/broadcom/bgmac.c
index 31ca204b38d2..91cbf92de971 100644
--- a/drivers/net/ethernet/broadcom/bgmac.c
+++ b/drivers/net/ethernet/broadcom/bgmac.c
@@ -307,6 +307,10 @@ static void bgmac_dma_rx_enable(struct bgmac *bgmac,
 	u32 ctl;
 
 	ctl = bgmac_read(bgmac, ring->mmio_base + BGMAC_DMA_RX_CTL);
+
+	/* preserve ONLY bits 16-17 from current hardware value */
+	ctl &= BGMAC_DMA_RX_ADDREXT_MASK;
+
 	if (bgmac->feature_flags & BGMAC_FEAT_RX_MASK_SETUP) {
 		ctl &= ~BGMAC_DMA_RX_BL_MASK;
 		ctl |= BGMAC_DMA_RX_BL_128 << BGMAC_DMA_RX_BL_SHIFT;
@@ -317,7 +321,6 @@ static void bgmac_dma_rx_enable(struct bgmac *bgmac,
 		ctl &= ~BGMAC_DMA_RX_PT_MASK;
 		ctl |= BGMAC_DMA_RX_PT_1 << BGMAC_DMA_RX_PT_SHIFT;
 	}
-	ctl &= BGMAC_DMA_RX_ADDREXT_MASK;
 	ctl |= BGMAC_DMA_RX_ENABLE;
 	ctl |= BGMAC_DMA_RX_PARITY_DISABLE;
 	ctl |= BGMAC_DMA_RX_OVERFLOW_CONT;