diff --git a/drivers/net/ethernet/cavium/liquidio/octeon_device.c b/drivers/net/ethernet/cavium/liquidio/octeon_device.c
index e4aa3395a578..2c615ab09e64 100644
--- a/drivers/net/ethernet/cavium/liquidio/octeon_device.c
+++ b/drivers/net/ethernet/cavium/liquidio/octeon_device.c
@@ -1180,6 +1180,10 @@ octeon_register_dispatch_fn(struct octeon_device *oct,
 		spin_unlock_bh(&oct->dispatch.lock);
 
 	} else {
+		if (pfn == fn &&
+		    octeon_get_dispatch_arg(oct, opcode, subcode) == fn_arg)
+			return 0;
+
 		dev_err(&oct->pci_dev->dev,
 			"Found previously registered dispatch fn for opcode/subcode: %x/%x\n",
 			opcode, subcode);
diff --git a/drivers/net/ethernet/cavium/liquidio/octeon_droq.c b/drivers/net/ethernet/cavium/liquidio/octeon_droq.c
index 9372d4ce9954..3461d65ff4eb 100644
--- a/drivers/net/ethernet/cavium/liquidio/octeon_droq.c
+++ b/drivers/net/ethernet/cavium/liquidio/octeon_droq.c
@@ -52,8 +52,8 @@ struct __dispatch {
  *  @return  Failure: NULL
  *
  */
-static inline void *octeon_get_dispatch_arg(struct octeon_device *octeon_dev,
-					    u16 opcode, u16 subcode)
+void *octeon_get_dispatch_arg(struct octeon_device *octeon_dev,
+			      u16 opcode, u16 subcode)
 {
 	int idx;
 	struct list_head *dispatch;
diff --git a/drivers/net/ethernet/cavium/liquidio/octeon_droq.h b/drivers/net/ethernet/cavium/liquidio/octeon_droq.h
index f91bc84d1719..815a9f56fd59 100644
--- a/drivers/net/ethernet/cavium/liquidio/octeon_droq.h
+++ b/drivers/net/ethernet/cavium/liquidio/octeon_droq.h
@@ -400,6 +400,9 @@ int octeon_register_dispatch_fn(struct octeon_device *oct,
 				u16 subcode,
 				octeon_dispatch_fn_t fn, void *fn_arg);
 
+void *octeon_get_dispatch_arg(struct octeon_device *oct,
+			      u16 opcode, u16 subcode);
+
 void octeon_droq_print_stats(void);
 
 u32 octeon_droq_check_hw_for_pkts(struct octeon_droq *droq);