diff --git a/drivers/net/ethernet/cavium/thunder/thunder_bgx.c b/drivers/net/ethernet/cavium/thunder/thunder_bgx.c
index 79112563a25a..5e5c4d7796b8 100644
--- a/drivers/net/ethernet/cavium/thunder/thunder_bgx.c
+++ b/drivers/net/ethernet/cavium/thunder/thunder_bgx.c
@@ -292,11 +292,30 @@ static void bgx_sgmii_change_link_state(struct lmac *lmac)
 	u64 cmr_cfg;
 	u64 port_cfg = 0;
 	u64 misc_ctl = 0;
+	bool tx_en, rx_en;
 
 	cmr_cfg = bgx_reg_read(bgx, lmac->lmacid, BGX_CMRX_CFG);
-	cmr_cfg &= ~CMR_EN;
+	tx_en = cmr_cfg & CMR_PKT_TX_EN;
+	rx_en = cmr_cfg & CMR_PKT_RX_EN;
+	cmr_cfg &= ~(CMR_PKT_RX_EN | CMR_PKT_TX_EN);
 	bgx_reg_write(bgx, lmac->lmacid, BGX_CMRX_CFG, cmr_cfg);
 
+	/* Wait for BGX RX to be idle */
+	if (bgx_poll_reg(bgx, lmac->lmacid, BGX_GMP_GMI_PRTX_CFG,
+			 GMI_PORT_CFG_RX_IDLE, false)) {
+		dev_err(&bgx->pdev->dev, "BGX%d LMAC%d GMI RX not idle\n",
+			bgx->bgx_id, lmac->lmacid);
+		return;
+	}
+
+	/* Wait for BGX TX to be idle */
+	if (bgx_poll_reg(bgx, lmac->lmacid, BGX_GMP_GMI_PRTX_CFG,
+			 GMI_PORT_CFG_TX_IDLE, false)) {
+		dev_err(&bgx->pdev->dev, "BGX%d LMAC%d GMI TX not idle\n",
+			bgx->bgx_id, lmac->lmacid);
+		return;
+	}
+
 	port_cfg = bgx_reg_read(bgx, lmac->lmacid, BGX_GMP_GMI_PRTX_CFG);
 	misc_ctl = bgx_reg_read(bgx, lmac->lmacid, BGX_GMP_PCS_MISCX_CTL);
 
@@ -347,10 +366,8 @@ static void bgx_sgmii_change_link_state(struct lmac *lmac)
 	bgx_reg_write(bgx, lmac->lmacid, BGX_GMP_PCS_MISCX_CTL, misc_ctl);
 	bgx_reg_write(bgx, lmac->lmacid, BGX_GMP_GMI_PRTX_CFG, port_cfg);
 
-	port_cfg = bgx_reg_read(bgx, lmac->lmacid, BGX_GMP_GMI_PRTX_CFG);
-
-	/* Re-enable lmac */
-	cmr_cfg |= CMR_EN;
+	/* Restore CMR config settings */
+	cmr_cfg |= (rx_en ? CMR_PKT_RX_EN : 0) | (tx_en ? CMR_PKT_TX_EN : 0);
 	bgx_reg_write(bgx, lmac->lmacid, BGX_CMRX_CFG, cmr_cfg);
 
 	if (bgx->is_rgx && (cmr_cfg & (CMR_PKT_RX_EN | CMR_PKT_TX_EN)))
diff --git a/drivers/net/ethernet/cavium/thunder/thunder_bgx.h b/drivers/net/ethernet/cavium/thunder/thunder_bgx.h
index 6b7fe6fdd13b..23acdc5ab896 100644
--- a/drivers/net/ethernet/cavium/thunder/thunder_bgx.h
+++ b/drivers/net/ethernet/cavium/thunder/thunder_bgx.h
@@ -170,6 +170,8 @@
 #define  GMI_PORT_CFG_DUPLEX			BIT_ULL(2)
 #define  GMI_PORT_CFG_SLOT_TIME			BIT_ULL(3)
 #define  GMI_PORT_CFG_SPEED_MSB			BIT_ULL(8)
+#define  GMI_PORT_CFG_RX_IDLE			BIT_ULL(12)
+#define  GMI_PORT_CFG_TX_IDLE			BIT_ULL(13)
 #define BGX_GMP_GMI_RXX_JABBER		0x38038
 #define BGX_GMP_GMI_TXX_THRESH		0x38210
 #define BGX_GMP_GMI_TXX_APPEND		0x38218