diff --git a/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/iavf/iavf_main.c b/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/iavf/iavf_main.c
index be97ac251802..dcf24264c7ea 100644
--- a/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/iavf/iavf_main.c
+++ b/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/iavf/iavf_main.c
@@ -1137,8 +1137,7 @@ void iavf_down(struct iavf_adapter *adapter)
 		rss->state = IAVF_ADV_RSS_DEL_REQUEST;
 	spin_unlock_bh(&adapter->adv_rss_lock);
 
-	if (!(adapter->flags & IAVF_FLAG_PF_COMMS_FAILED) &&
-	    adapter->state != __IAVF_RESETTING) {
+	if (!(adapter->flags & IAVF_FLAG_PF_COMMS_FAILED)) {
 		/* cancel any current operation */
 		adapter->current_op = VIRTCHNL_OP_UNKNOWN;
 		/* Schedule operations to close down the HW. Don't wait
@@ -2385,11 +2384,12 @@ static void iavf_watchdog_task(struct work_struct *work)
 	if (adapter->flags & IAVF_FLAG_PF_COMMS_FAILED)
 		iavf_change_state(adapter, __IAVF_COMM_FAILED);
 
-	if (adapter->flags & IAVF_FLAG_RESET_NEEDED &&
-	    adapter->state != __IAVF_RESETTING) {
-		iavf_change_state(adapter, __IAVF_RESETTING);
+	if (adapter->flags & IAVF_FLAG_RESET_NEEDED) {
 		adapter->aq_required = 0;
 		adapter->current_op = VIRTCHNL_OP_UNKNOWN;
+		mutex_unlock(&adapter->crit_lock);
+		queue_work(iavf_wq, &adapter->reset_task);
+		return;
 	}
 
 	switch (adapter->state) {
@@ -2697,8 +2697,7 @@ static void iavf_reset_task(struct work_struct *work)
 	 * ndo_open() returning, so we can't assume it means all our open
 	 * tasks have finished, since we're not holding the rtnl_lock here.
 	 */
-	running = ((adapter->state == __IAVF_RUNNING) ||
-		   (adapter->state == __IAVF_RESETTING));
+	running = adapter->state == __IAVF_RUNNING;
 
 	if (running) {
 		netdev->flags &= ~IFF_UP;