diff --git a/drivers/net/ethernet/freescale/fec_main.c b/drivers/net/ethernet/freescale/fec_main.c
index d4782b42401b0159b6375891db99bfc9999b0ecd..903362a7b58435878d790b06d9bb2dadbcdede35 100644
--- a/drivers/net/ethernet/freescale/fec_main.c
+++ b/drivers/net/ethernet/freescale/fec_main.c
@@ -1778,8 +1778,6 @@ fec_enet_open(struct net_device *ndev)
 	struct fec_enet_private *fep = netdev_priv(ndev);
 	int ret;
 
-	napi_enable(&fep->napi);
-
 	/* I should reset the ring buffers here, but I don't yet know
 	 * a simple way to do that.
 	 */
@@ -1794,6 +1792,8 @@ fec_enet_open(struct net_device *ndev)
 		fec_enet_free_buffers(ndev);
 		return ret;
 	}
+
+	napi_enable(&fep->napi);
 	phy_start(fep->phy_dev);
 	netif_start_queue(ndev);
 	fep->opened = 1;