diff --git a/drivers/net/benet/be.h b/drivers/net/benet/be.h
index f17428caecf1974a390e789a896056ad77ecdf2d..c730bd64628ad45ec931b1902990302176c80463 100644
--- a/drivers/net/benet/be.h
+++ b/drivers/net/benet/be.h
@@ -221,6 +221,7 @@ struct be_rx_obj {
 };
 
 #define BE_NUM_MSIX_VECTORS		2	/* 1 each for Tx and Rx */
+#define BE_INVALID_PMAC_ID		0xffffffff
 struct be_adapter {
 	struct pci_dev *pdev;
 	struct net_device *netdev;
diff --git a/drivers/net/benet/be_main.c b/drivers/net/benet/be_main.c
index e6ca92334d6d0bbb72de8ddc03930388986efaf5..899881b5aab924693fc5ddc876bb6c1014555a24 100644
--- a/drivers/net/benet/be_main.c
+++ b/drivers/net/benet/be_main.c
@@ -656,8 +656,9 @@ static int be_set_vf_mac(struct net_device *netdev, int vf, u8 *mac)
 	if (!is_valid_ether_addr(mac) || (vf >= num_vfs))
 		return -EINVAL;
 
-	status = be_cmd_pmac_del(adapter, adapter->vf_if_handle[vf],
-				adapter->vf_pmac_id[vf]);
+	if (adapter->vf_pmac_id[vf] != BE_INVALID_PMAC_ID)
+		status = be_cmd_pmac_del(adapter, adapter->vf_if_handle[vf],
+					adapter->vf_pmac_id[vf]);
 
 	status = be_cmd_pmac_add(adapter, mac, adapter->vf_if_handle[vf],
 				&adapter->vf_pmac_id[vf]);
@@ -1910,6 +1911,7 @@ static int be_setup(struct be_adapter *adapter)
 				"Interface Create failed for VF %d\n", vf);
 				goto if_destroy;
 			}
+			adapter->vf_pmac_id[vf] = BE_INVALID_PMAC_ID;
 			vf++;
 		}
 	} else if (!be_physfn(adapter)) {