diff --git a/drivers/net/ethernet/ibm/ibmvnic.c b/drivers/net/ethernet/ibm/ibmvnic.c
index af4dfbe28d56..da15913879f8 100644
--- a/drivers/net/ethernet/ibm/ibmvnic.c
+++ b/drivers/net/ethernet/ibm/ibmvnic.c
@@ -1185,18 +1185,27 @@ static int ibmvnic_open(struct net_device *netdev)
 	if (adapter->state != VNIC_CLOSED) {
 		rc = ibmvnic_login(netdev);
 		if (rc)
-			return rc;
+			goto out;
 
 		rc = init_resources(adapter);
 		if (rc) {
 			netdev_err(netdev, "failed to initialize resources\n");
 			release_resources(adapter);
-			return rc;
+			goto out;
 		}
 	}
 
 	rc = __ibmvnic_open(netdev);
 
+out:
+	/*
+	 * If open fails due to a pending failover, set device state and
+	 * return. Device operation will be handled by reset routine.
+	 */
+	if (rc && adapter->failover_pending) {
+		adapter->state = VNIC_OPEN;
+		rc = 0;
+	}
 	return rc;
 }
 
@@ -1922,6 +1931,13 @@ static int do_reset(struct ibmvnic_adapter *adapter,
 		   rwi->reset_reason);
 
 	rtnl_lock();
+	/*
+	 * Now that we have the rtnl lock, clear any pending failover.
+	 * This will ensure ibmvnic_open() has either completed or will
+	 * block until failover is complete.
+	 */
+	if (rwi->reset_reason == VNIC_RESET_FAILOVER)
+		adapter->failover_pending = false;
 
 	netif_carrier_off(netdev);
 	adapter->reset_reason = rwi->reset_reason;
@@ -2202,6 +2218,13 @@ static void __ibmvnic_reset(struct work_struct *work)
 			/* CHANGE_PARAM requestor holds rtnl_lock */
 			rc = do_change_param_reset(adapter, rwi, reset_state);
 		} else if (adapter->force_reset_recovery) {
+			/*
+			 * Since we are doing a hard reset now, clear the
+			 * failover_pending flag so we don't ignore any
+			 * future MOBILITY or other resets.
+			 */
+			adapter->failover_pending = false;
+
 			/* Transport event occurred during previous reset */
 			if (adapter->wait_for_reset) {
 				/* Previous was CHANGE_PARAM; caller locked */
@@ -2266,9 +2289,15 @@ static int ibmvnic_reset(struct ibmvnic_adapter *adapter,
 	unsigned long flags;
 	int ret;
 
+	/*
+	 * If failover is pending don't schedule any other reset.
+	 * Instead let the failover complete. If there is already a
+	 * a failover reset scheduled, we will detect and drop the
+	 * duplicate reset when walking the ->rwi_list below.
+	 */
 	if (adapter->state == VNIC_REMOVING ||
 	    adapter->state == VNIC_REMOVED ||
-	    adapter->failover_pending) {
+	    (adapter->failover_pending && reason != VNIC_RESET_FAILOVER)) {
 		ret = EBUSY;
 		netdev_dbg(netdev, "Adapter removing or pending failover, skipping reset\n");
 		goto err;
@@ -4713,7 +4742,6 @@ static void ibmvnic_handle_crq(union ibmvnic_crq *crq,
 		case IBMVNIC_CRQ_INIT:
 			dev_info(dev, "Partner initialized\n");
 			adapter->from_passive_init = true;
-			adapter->failover_pending = false;
 			if (!completion_done(&adapter->init_done)) {
 				complete(&adapter->init_done);
 				adapter->init_done_rc = -EIO;