diff --git a/drivers/net/virtio_net.c b/drivers/net/virtio_net.c
index 9bb9e562b893..2d5412317672 100644
--- a/drivers/net/virtio_net.c
+++ b/drivers/net/virtio_net.c
@@ -2185,8 +2185,9 @@ static int virtnet_xdp_set(struct net_device *dev, struct bpf_prog *prog,
 	}
 
 	/* Make sure NAPI is not using any XDP TX queues for RX. */
-	for (i = 0; i < vi->max_queue_pairs; i++)
-		napi_disable(&vi->rq[i].napi);
+	if (netif_running(dev))
+		for (i = 0; i < vi->max_queue_pairs; i++)
+			napi_disable(&vi->rq[i].napi);
 
 	netif_set_real_num_rx_queues(dev, curr_qp + xdp_qp);
 	err = _virtnet_set_queues(vi, curr_qp + xdp_qp);
@@ -2205,7 +2206,8 @@ static int virtnet_xdp_set(struct net_device *dev, struct bpf_prog *prog,
 		}
 		if (old_prog)
 			bpf_prog_put(old_prog);
-		virtnet_napi_enable(vi->rq[i].vq, &vi->rq[i].napi);
+		if (netif_running(dev))
+			virtnet_napi_enable(vi->rq[i].vq, &vi->rq[i].napi);
 	}
 
 	return 0;