diff --git a/net/ipv6/addrconf.c b/net/ipv6/addrconf.c
index 69aef71f32ea..92b32d131e1c 100644
--- a/net/ipv6/addrconf.c
+++ b/net/ipv6/addrconf.c
@@ -3715,6 +3715,7 @@ static int addrconf_ifdown(struct net_device *dev, int how)
 	struct inet6_dev *idev;
 	struct inet6_ifaddr *ifa, *tmp;
 	bool keep_addr = false;
+	bool was_ready;
 	int state, i;
 
 	ASSERT_RTNL();
@@ -3780,7 +3781,10 @@ restart:
 
 	addrconf_del_rs_timer(idev);
 
-	/* Step 2: clear flags for stateless addrconf */
+	/* Step 2: clear flags for stateless addrconf, repeated down
+	 *         detection
+	 */
+	was_ready = idev->if_flags & IF_READY;
 	if (!how)
 		idev->if_flags &= ~(IF_RS_SENT|IF_RA_RCVD|IF_READY);
 
@@ -3854,7 +3858,7 @@ restart:
 	if (how) {
 		ipv6_ac_destroy_dev(idev);
 		ipv6_mc_destroy_dev(idev);
-	} else {
+	} else if (was_ready) {
 		ipv6_mc_down(idev);
 	}