diff --git a/drivers/net/ethernet/mellanox/mlx5/core/main.c b/drivers/net/ethernet/mellanox/mlx5/core/main.c
index f36a3aa4b5c8..f1de152a6113 100644
--- a/drivers/net/ethernet/mellanox/mlx5/core/main.c
+++ b/drivers/net/ethernet/mellanox/mlx5/core/main.c
@@ -1789,11 +1789,11 @@ static void remove_one(struct pci_dev *pdev)
 	struct mlx5_core_dev *dev  = pci_get_drvdata(pdev);
 	struct devlink *devlink = priv_to_devlink(dev);
 
+	set_bit(MLX5_BREAK_FW_WAIT, &dev->intf_state);
 	/* mlx5_drain_fw_reset() is using devlink APIs. Hence, we must drain
 	 * fw_reset before unregistering the devlink.
 	 */
 	mlx5_drain_fw_reset(dev);
-	set_bit(MLX5_BREAK_FW_WAIT, &dev->intf_state);
 	devlink_unregister(devlink);
 	mlx5_sriov_disable(pdev);
 	mlx5_crdump_disable(dev);