diff --git a/drivers/net/usb/ipheth.c b/drivers/net/usb/ipheth.c
index d49c7103085e..ca71f6c03859 100644
--- a/drivers/net/usb/ipheth.c
+++ b/drivers/net/usb/ipheth.c
@@ -149,6 +149,7 @@ struct ipheth_device {
 	u8 bulk_in;
 	u8 bulk_out;
 	struct delayed_work carrier_work;
+	bool confirmed_pairing;
 };
 
 static int ipheth_rx_submit(struct ipheth_device *dev, gfp_t mem_flags);
@@ -259,7 +260,7 @@ static void ipheth_rcvbulk_callback(struct urb *urb)
 
 	dev->net->stats.rx_packets++;
 	dev->net->stats.rx_bytes += len;
-
+	dev->confirmed_pairing = true;
 	netif_rx(skb);
 	ipheth_rx_submit(dev, GFP_ATOMIC);
 }
@@ -281,14 +282,21 @@ static void ipheth_sndbulk_callback(struct urb *urb)
 		__func__, status);
 
 	dev_kfree_skb_irq(dev->tx_skb);
-	netif_wake_queue(dev->net);
+	if (status == 0)
+		netif_wake_queue(dev->net);
+	else
+		// on URB error, trigger immediate poll
+		schedule_delayed_work(&dev->carrier_work, 0);
 }
 
 static int ipheth_carrier_set(struct ipheth_device *dev)
 {
 	struct usb_device *udev = dev->udev;
 	int retval;
-
+	if (!dev)
+		return 0;
+	if (!dev->confirmed_pairing)
+		return 0;
 	retval = usb_control_msg(udev,
 			usb_rcvctrlpipe(udev, IPHETH_CTRL_ENDP),
 			IPHETH_CMD_CARRIER_CHECK, /* request */
@@ -303,11 +311,14 @@ static int ipheth_carrier_set(struct ipheth_device *dev)
 		return retval;
 	}
 
-	if (dev->ctrl_buf[0] == IPHETH_CARRIER_ON)
+	if (dev->ctrl_buf[0] == IPHETH_CARRIER_ON) {
 		netif_carrier_on(dev->net);
-	else
+		if (dev->tx_urb->status != -EINPROGRESS)
+			netif_wake_queue(dev->net);
+	} else {
 		netif_carrier_off(dev->net);
-
+		netif_stop_queue(dev->net);
+	}
 	return 0;
 }
 
@@ -387,7 +398,6 @@ static int ipheth_open(struct net_device *net)
 		return retval;
 
 	schedule_delayed_work(&dev->carrier_work, IPHETH_CARRIER_CHECK_TIMEOUT);
-	netif_start_queue(net);
 	return retval;
 }
 
@@ -491,7 +501,7 @@ static int ipheth_probe(struct usb_interface *intf,
 	dev->udev = udev;
 	dev->net = netdev;
 	dev->intf = intf;
-
+	dev->confirmed_pairing = false;
 	/* Set up endpoints */
 	hintf = usb_altnum_to_altsetting(intf, IPHETH_ALT_INTFNUM);
 	if (hintf == NULL) {
@@ -542,7 +552,9 @@ static int ipheth_probe(struct usb_interface *intf,
 		retval = -EIO;
 		goto err_register_netdev;
 	}
-
+	// carrier down and transmit queues stopped until packet from device
+	netif_carrier_off(netdev);
+	netif_tx_stop_all_queues(netdev);
 	dev_info(&intf->dev, "Apple iPhone USB Ethernet device attached\n");
 	return 0;