diff --git a/drivers/net/qlge/qlge_main.c b/drivers/net/qlge/qlge_main.c
index e2ee47d9bca5..7692299e7826 100644
--- a/drivers/net/qlge/qlge_main.c
+++ b/drivers/net/qlge/qlge_main.c
@@ -3951,9 +3951,6 @@ static int qlge_set_mac_address(struct net_device *ndev, void *p)
 	struct sockaddr *addr = p;
 	int status;
 
-	if (netif_running(ndev))
-		return -EBUSY;
-
 	if (!is_valid_ether_addr(addr->sa_data))
 		return -EADDRNOTAVAIL;
 	memcpy(ndev->dev_addr, addr->sa_data, ndev->addr_len);