diff --git a/drivers/infiniband/ulp/ipoib/ipoib.h b/drivers/infiniband/ulp/ipoib/ipoib.h
index bb19587c5eaf..66a897567ea9 100644
--- a/drivers/infiniband/ulp/ipoib/ipoib.h
+++ b/drivers/infiniband/ulp/ipoib/ipoib.h
@@ -89,7 +89,6 @@ enum {
 	IPOIB_FLAG_SUBINTERFACE	  = 5,
 	IPOIB_MCAST_RUN		  = 6,
 	IPOIB_STOP_REAPER	  = 7,
-	IPOIB_MCAST_STARTED	  = 8,
 	IPOIB_FLAG_ADMIN_CM	  = 9,
 	IPOIB_FLAG_UMCAST	  = 10,
 	IPOIB_FLAG_CSUM		  = 11,
diff --git a/drivers/infiniband/ulp/ipoib/ipoib_multicast.c b/drivers/infiniband/ulp/ipoib/ipoib_multicast.c
index 4a6538b9301a..0b7d129161e1 100644
--- a/drivers/infiniband/ulp/ipoib/ipoib_multicast.c
+++ b/drivers/infiniband/ulp/ipoib/ipoib_multicast.c
@@ -592,10 +592,6 @@ int ipoib_mcast_start_thread(struct net_device *dev)
 		queue_delayed_work(ipoib_workqueue, &priv->mcast_task, 0);
 	mutex_unlock(&mcast_mutex);
 
-	spin_lock_irq(&priv->lock);
-	set_bit(IPOIB_MCAST_STARTED, &priv->flags);
-	spin_unlock_irq(&priv->lock);
-
 	return 0;
 }
 
@@ -605,10 +601,6 @@ int ipoib_mcast_stop_thread(struct net_device *dev, int flush)
 
 	ipoib_dbg_mcast(priv, "stopping multicast thread\n");
 
-	spin_lock_irq(&priv->lock);
-	clear_bit(IPOIB_MCAST_STARTED, &priv->flags);
-	spin_unlock_irq(&priv->lock);
-
 	mutex_lock(&mcast_mutex);
 	clear_bit(IPOIB_MCAST_RUN, &priv->flags);
 	cancel_delayed_work(&priv->mcast_task);