diff --git a/drivers/net/ethernet/emulex/benet/be.h b/drivers/net/ethernet/emulex/benet/be.h
index 86f51dea0c39..4b1994dcf3c7 100644
--- a/drivers/net/ethernet/emulex/benet/be.h
+++ b/drivers/net/ethernet/emulex/benet/be.h
@@ -304,6 +304,7 @@ struct be_vf_cfg {
 };
 
 #define BE_FLAGS_LINK_STATUS_INIT		1
+#define BE_FLAGS_WORKER_SCHEDULED		(1 << 3)
 
 struct be_adapter {
 	struct pci_dev *pdev;
diff --git a/drivers/net/ethernet/emulex/benet/be_main.c b/drivers/net/ethernet/emulex/benet/be_main.c
index 28f2b254d227..68408d5bb0d7 100644
--- a/drivers/net/ethernet/emulex/benet/be_main.c
+++ b/drivers/net/ethernet/emulex/benet/be_main.c
@@ -2447,6 +2447,11 @@ static void be_vf_clear(struct be_adapter *adapter)
 
 static int be_clear(struct be_adapter *adapter)
 {
+	if (adapter->flags & BE_FLAGS_WORKER_SCHEDULED) {
+		cancel_delayed_work_sync(&adapter->work);
+		adapter->flags &= ~BE_FLAGS_WORKER_SCHEDULED;
+	}
+
 	if (sriov_enabled(adapter))
 		be_vf_clear(adapter);
 
@@ -2648,6 +2653,9 @@ static int be_setup(struct be_adapter *adapter)
 			goto err;
 	}
 
+	schedule_delayed_work(&adapter->work, msecs_to_jiffies(1000));
+	adapter->flags |= BE_FLAGS_WORKER_SCHEDULED;
+
 	return 0;
 err:
 	be_clear(adapter);
@@ -3208,8 +3216,6 @@ static void __devexit be_remove(struct pci_dev *pdev)
 	if (!adapter)
 		return;
 
-	cancel_delayed_work_sync(&adapter->work);
-
 	unregister_netdev(adapter->netdev);
 
 	be_clear(adapter);
@@ -3533,7 +3539,6 @@ static int __devinit be_probe(struct pci_dev *pdev,
 	dev_info(&pdev->dev, "%s: %s port %d\n", netdev->name, nic_name(pdev),
 		adapter->port_num);
 
-	schedule_delayed_work(&adapter->work, msecs_to_jiffies(100));
 	return 0;
 
 unsetup:
@@ -3563,7 +3568,6 @@ static int be_suspend(struct pci_dev *pdev, pm_message_t state)
 	struct be_adapter *adapter = pci_get_drvdata(pdev);
 	struct net_device *netdev =  adapter->netdev;
 
-	cancel_delayed_work_sync(&adapter->work);
 	if (adapter->wol)
 		be_setup_wol(adapter, true);
 
@@ -3612,7 +3616,6 @@ static int be_resume(struct pci_dev *pdev)
 	if (adapter->wol)
 		be_setup_wol(adapter, false);
 
-	schedule_delayed_work(&adapter->work, msecs_to_jiffies(100));
 	return 0;
 }