diff --git a/drivers/net/tg3.c b/drivers/net/tg3.c
index 35f931638750..2447fa3b471b 100644
--- a/drivers/net/tg3.c
+++ b/drivers/net/tg3.c
@@ -8738,6 +8738,9 @@ static void tg3_vlan_rx_register(struct net_device *dev, struct vlan_group *grp)
 {
 	struct tg3 *tp = netdev_priv(dev);
 
+	if (netif_running(dev))
+		tg3_netif_stop(tp);
+
 	tg3_full_lock(tp, 0);
 
 	tp->vlgrp = grp;
@@ -8746,16 +8749,25 @@ static void tg3_vlan_rx_register(struct net_device *dev, struct vlan_group *grp)
 	__tg3_set_rx_mode(dev);
 
 	tg3_full_unlock(tp);
+
+	if (netif_running(dev))
+		tg3_netif_start(tp);
 }
 
 static void tg3_vlan_rx_kill_vid(struct net_device *dev, unsigned short vid)
 {
 	struct tg3 *tp = netdev_priv(dev);
 
+	if (netif_running(dev))
+		tg3_netif_stop(tp);
+
 	tg3_full_lock(tp, 0);
 	if (tp->vlgrp)
 		tp->vlgrp->vlan_devices[vid] = NULL;
 	tg3_full_unlock(tp);
+
+	if (netif_running(dev))
+		tg3_netif_start(tp);
 }
 #endif