diff --git a/drivers/net/vmxnet3/vmxnet3_drv.c b/drivers/net/vmxnet3/vmxnet3_drv.c
index 609f65530b9b..a51c4ad9ed20 100644
--- a/drivers/net/vmxnet3/vmxnet3_drv.c
+++ b/drivers/net/vmxnet3/vmxnet3_drv.c
@@ -2998,8 +2998,6 @@ vmxnet3_change_mtu(struct net_device *netdev, int new_mtu)
 	struct vmxnet3_adapter *adapter = netdev_priv(netdev);
 	int err = 0;
 
-	netdev->mtu = new_mtu;
-
 	/*
 	 * Reset_work may be in the middle of resetting the device, wait for its
 	 * completion.
@@ -3013,6 +3011,7 @@ vmxnet3_change_mtu(struct net_device *netdev, int new_mtu)
 
 		/* we need to re-create the rx queue based on the new mtu */
 		vmxnet3_rq_destroy_all(adapter);
+		netdev->mtu = new_mtu;
 		vmxnet3_adjust_rx_ring_size(adapter);
 		err = vmxnet3_rq_create_all(adapter);
 		if (err) {
@@ -3029,6 +3028,8 @@ vmxnet3_change_mtu(struct net_device *netdev, int new_mtu)
 				   "Closing it\n", err);
 			goto out;
 		}
+	} else {
+		netdev->mtu = new_mtu;
 	}
 
 out: