diff --git a/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/iavf/iavf.h b/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/iavf/iavf.h
index e0b88ff76466bf..e6e7c1da47fbe5 100644
--- a/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/iavf/iavf.h
+++ b/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/iavf/iavf.h
@@ -394,6 +394,38 @@ struct iavf_device {
 extern char iavf_driver_name[];
 extern struct workqueue_struct *iavf_wq;
 
+static inline const char *iavf_state_str(enum iavf_state_t state)
+{
+	switch (state) {
+	case __IAVF_STARTUP:
+		return "__IAVF_STARTUP";
+	case __IAVF_REMOVE:
+		return "__IAVF_REMOVE";
+	case __IAVF_INIT_VERSION_CHECK:
+		return "__IAVF_INIT_VERSION_CHECK";
+	case __IAVF_INIT_GET_RESOURCES:
+		return "__IAVF_INIT_GET_RESOURCES";
+	case __IAVF_INIT_SW:
+		return "__IAVF_INIT_SW";
+	case __IAVF_INIT_FAILED:
+		return "__IAVF_INIT_FAILED";
+	case __IAVF_RESETTING:
+		return "__IAVF_RESETTING";
+	case __IAVF_COMM_FAILED:
+		return "__IAVF_COMM_FAILED";
+	case __IAVF_DOWN:
+		return "__IAVF_DOWN";
+	case __IAVF_DOWN_PENDING:
+		return "__IAVF_DOWN_PENDING";
+	case __IAVF_TESTING:
+		return "__IAVF_TESTING";
+	case __IAVF_RUNNING:
+		return "__IAVF_RUNNING";
+	default:
+		return "__IAVF_UNKNOWN_STATE";
+	}
+}
+
 static inline void iavf_change_state(struct iavf_adapter *adapter,
 				     enum iavf_state_t state)
 {
@@ -401,6 +433,10 @@ static inline void iavf_change_state(struct iavf_adapter *adapter,
 		adapter->last_state = adapter->state;
 		adapter->state = state;
 	}
+	dev_dbg(&adapter->pdev->dev,
+		"state transition from:%s to:%s\n",
+		iavf_state_str(adapter->last_state),
+		iavf_state_str(adapter->state));
 }
 
 int iavf_up(struct iavf_adapter *adapter);
diff --git a/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/iavf/iavf_main.c b/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/iavf/iavf_main.c
index 469160346438ec..847d67e32a5401 100644
--- a/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/iavf/iavf_main.c
+++ b/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/iavf/iavf_main.c
@@ -3280,6 +3280,13 @@ static int iavf_open(struct net_device *netdev)
 		goto err_unlock;
 	}
 
+	if (adapter->state == __IAVF_RUNNING &&
+	    !test_bit(__IAVF_VSI_DOWN, adapter->vsi.state)) {
+		dev_dbg(&adapter->pdev->dev, "VF is already open.\n");
+		err = 0;
+		goto err_unlock;
+	}
+
 	/* allocate transmit descriptors */
 	err = iavf_setup_all_tx_resources(adapter);
 	if (err)
@@ -3915,6 +3922,7 @@ static int __maybe_unused iavf_resume(struct device *dev_d)
 static void iavf_remove(struct pci_dev *pdev)
 {
 	struct iavf_adapter *adapter = iavf_pdev_to_adapter(pdev);
+	enum iavf_state_t prev_state = adapter->last_state;
 	struct net_device *netdev = adapter->netdev;
 	struct iavf_fdir_fltr *fdir, *fdirtmp;
 	struct iavf_vlan_filter *vlf, *vlftmp;
@@ -3953,10 +3961,22 @@ static void iavf_remove(struct pci_dev *pdev)
 	iavf_change_state(adapter, __IAVF_REMOVE);
 	adapter->aq_required = 0;
 	adapter->flags &= ~IAVF_FLAG_REINIT_ITR_NEEDED;
+
 	iavf_free_all_tx_resources(adapter);
 	iavf_free_all_rx_resources(adapter);
 	iavf_misc_irq_disable(adapter);
 	iavf_free_misc_irq(adapter);
+
+	/* In case we enter iavf_remove from erroneous state, free traffic irqs
+	 * here, so as to not cause a kernel crash, when calling
+	 * iavf_reset_interrupt_capability.
+	 */
+	if ((adapter->last_state == __IAVF_RESETTING &&
+	     prev_state != __IAVF_DOWN) ||
+	    (adapter->last_state == __IAVF_RUNNING &&
+	     !(netdev->flags & IFF_UP)))
+		iavf_free_traffic_irqs(adapter);
+
 	iavf_reset_interrupt_capability(adapter);
 	iavf_free_q_vectors(adapter);