diff --git a/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/ixgbevf/ixgbevf.h b/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/ixgbevf/ixgbevf.h
index e7e7d695816b..a0a1de9ce238 100644
--- a/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/ixgbevf/ixgbevf.h
+++ b/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/ixgbevf/ixgbevf.h
@@ -421,6 +421,7 @@ enum ixbgevf_state_t {
 	__IXGBEVF_DOWN,
 	__IXGBEVF_DISABLED,
 	__IXGBEVF_REMOVING,
+	__IXGBEVF_WORK_INIT,
 };
 
 struct ixgbevf_cb {
diff --git a/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/ixgbevf/ixgbevf_main.c b/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/ixgbevf/ixgbevf_main.c
index 4ba139b2d25a..905c26cfa600 100644
--- a/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/ixgbevf/ixgbevf_main.c
+++ b/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/ixgbevf/ixgbevf_main.c
@@ -107,7 +107,8 @@ static void ixgbevf_remove_adapter(struct ixgbe_hw *hw)
 		return;
 	hw->hw_addr = NULL;
 	dev_err(&adapter->pdev->dev, "Adapter removed\n");
-	schedule_work(&adapter->watchdog_task);
+	if (test_bit(__IXGBEVF_WORK_INIT, &adapter->state))
+		schedule_work(&adapter->watchdog_task);
 }
 
 static void ixgbevf_check_remove(struct ixgbe_hw *hw, u32 reg)
@@ -3573,8 +3574,13 @@ static int ixgbevf_probe(struct pci_dev *pdev, const struct pci_device_id *ent)
 	adapter->watchdog_timer.function = ixgbevf_watchdog;
 	adapter->watchdog_timer.data = (unsigned long)adapter;
 
+	if (IXGBE_REMOVED(hw->hw_addr)) {
+		err = -EIO;
+		goto err_sw_init;
+	}
 	INIT_WORK(&adapter->reset_task, ixgbevf_reset_task);
 	INIT_WORK(&adapter->watchdog_task, ixgbevf_watchdog_task);
+	set_bit(__IXGBEVF_WORK_INIT, &adapter->state);
 
 	err = ixgbevf_init_interrupt_scheme(adapter);
 	if (err)
@@ -3667,6 +3673,9 @@ static pci_ers_result_t ixgbevf_io_error_detected(struct pci_dev *pdev,
 	struct net_device *netdev = pci_get_drvdata(pdev);
 	struct ixgbevf_adapter *adapter = netdev_priv(netdev);
 
+	if (!test_bit(__IXGBEVF_WORK_INIT, &adapter->state))
+		return PCI_ERS_RESULT_DISCONNECT;
+
 	rtnl_lock();
 	netif_device_detach(netdev);