diff --git a/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/i40e/i40e_virtchnl_pf.c b/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/i40e/i40e_virtchnl_pf.c
index f14367834318..09a7fd4d24e8 100644
--- a/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/i40e/i40e_virtchnl_pf.c
+++ b/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/i40e/i40e_virtchnl_pf.c
@@ -3943,6 +3943,11 @@ int i40e_ndo_set_vf_mac(struct net_device *netdev, int vf_id, u8 *mac)
 	int bkt;
 	u8 i;
 
+	if (test_and_set_bit(__I40E_VIRTCHNL_OP_PENDING, pf->state)) {
+		dev_warn(&pf->pdev->dev, "Unable to configure VFs, other operation is pending.\n");
+		return -EAGAIN;
+	}
+
 	/* validate the request */
 	ret = i40e_validate_vf(pf, vf_id);
 	if (ret)
@@ -3967,11 +3972,6 @@ int i40e_ndo_set_vf_mac(struct net_device *netdev, int vf_id, u8 *mac)
 		goto error_param;
 	}
 
-	if (test_and_set_bit(__I40E_VIRTCHNL_OP_PENDING, pf->state)) {
-		dev_warn(&pf->pdev->dev, "Unable to configure VFs, other operation is pending.\n");
-		return -EAGAIN;
-	}
-
 	if (is_multicast_ether_addr(mac)) {
 		dev_err(&pf->pdev->dev,
 			"Invalid Ethernet address %pM for VF %d\n", mac, vf_id);