diff --git a/drivers/net/gianfar.c b/drivers/net/gianfar.c
index 6aa526ee9096..c3f061957c04 100644
--- a/drivers/net/gianfar.c
+++ b/drivers/net/gianfar.c
@@ -2021,7 +2021,6 @@ static int gfar_start_xmit(struct sk_buff *skb, struct net_device *dev)
 	}
 
 	/* setup the TxBD length and buffer pointer for the first BD */
-	tx_queue->tx_skbuff[tx_queue->skb_curtx] = skb;
 	txbdp_start->bufPtr = dma_map_single(&priv->ofdev->dev, skb->data,
 			skb_headlen(skb), DMA_TO_DEVICE);
 
@@ -2053,6 +2052,10 @@ static int gfar_start_xmit(struct sk_buff *skb, struct net_device *dev)
 
 	txbdp_start->lstatus = lstatus;
 
+	eieio(); /* force lstatus write before tx_skbuff */
+
+	tx_queue->tx_skbuff[tx_queue->skb_curtx] = skb;
+
 	/* Update the current skb pointer to the next entry we will use
 	 * (wrapping if necessary) */
 	tx_queue->skb_curtx = (tx_queue->skb_curtx + 1) &