diff --git a/drivers/net/e1000e/netdev.c b/drivers/net/e1000e/netdev.c
index 174633c9332510a5ac62a1105d67ede853e7f2d0..3fa110ddb0413d90690917ad0bf464c5d62b6397 100644
--- a/drivers/net/e1000e/netdev.c
+++ b/drivers/net/e1000e/netdev.c
@@ -3344,6 +3344,21 @@ int e1000e_up(struct e1000_adapter *adapter)
 	return 0;
 }
 
+static void e1000e_flush_descriptors(struct e1000_adapter *adapter)
+{
+	struct e1000_hw *hw = &adapter->hw;
+
+	if (!(adapter->flags2 & FLAG2_DMA_BURST))
+		return;
+
+	/* flush pending descriptor writebacks to memory */
+	ew32(TIDV, adapter->tx_int_delay | E1000_TIDV_FPD);
+	ew32(RDTR, adapter->rx_int_delay | E1000_RDTR_FPD);
+
+	/* execute the writes immediately */
+	e1e_flush();
+}
+
 void e1000e_down(struct e1000_adapter *adapter)
 {
 	struct net_device *netdev = adapter->netdev;
@@ -3383,6 +3398,9 @@ void e1000e_down(struct e1000_adapter *adapter)
 
 	if (!pci_channel_offline(adapter->pdev))
 		e1000e_reset(adapter);
+
+	e1000e_flush_descriptors(adapter);
+
 	e1000_clean_tx_ring(adapter);
 	e1000_clean_rx_ring(adapter);
 
@@ -4354,19 +4372,12 @@ link_up:
 	else
 		ew32(ICS, E1000_ICS_RXDMT0);
 
+	/* flush pending descriptors to memory before detecting Tx hang */
+	e1000e_flush_descriptors(adapter);
+
 	/* Force detection of hung controller every watchdog period */
 	adapter->detect_tx_hung = 1;
 
-	/* flush partial descriptors to memory before detecting Tx hang */
-	if (adapter->flags2 & FLAG2_DMA_BURST) {
-		ew32(TIDV, adapter->tx_int_delay | E1000_TIDV_FPD);
-		ew32(RDTR, adapter->rx_int_delay | E1000_RDTR_FPD);
-		/*
-		 * no need to flush the writes because the timeout code does
-		 * an er32 first thing
-		 */
-	}
-
 	/*
 	 * With 82571 controllers, LAA may be overwritten due to controller
 	 * reset from the other port. Set the appropriate LAA in RAR[0]