diff --git a/drivers/net/bnx2x_main.c b/drivers/net/bnx2x_main.c
index 61152e149e67..5b013d8457c5 100644
--- a/drivers/net/bnx2x_main.c
+++ b/drivers/net/bnx2x_main.c
@@ -10206,8 +10206,6 @@ static int __devinit bnx2x_init_one(struct pci_dev *pdev,
 		return -ENOMEM;
 	}
 
-	netif_carrier_off(dev);
-
 	bp = netdev_priv(dev);
 	bp->msglevel = debug;
 
@@ -10231,6 +10229,8 @@ static int __devinit bnx2x_init_one(struct pci_dev *pdev,
 		goto init_one_exit;
 	}
 
+	netif_carrier_off(dev);
+
 	bp->common.name = board_info[ent->driver_data].name;
 	printk(KERN_INFO "%s: %s (%c%d) PCI-E x%d %s found at mem %lx,"
 	       " IRQ %d, ", dev->name, bp->common.name,