diff --git a/drivers/net/ethernet/cavium/liquidio/lio_main.c b/drivers/net/ethernet/cavium/liquidio/lio_main.c
index 86ea86cfc133..10732e0e48cf 100644
--- a/drivers/net/ethernet/cavium/liquidio/lio_main.c
+++ b/drivers/net/ethernet/cavium/liquidio/lio_main.c
@@ -932,14 +932,13 @@ static void update_txq_status(struct octeon_device *oct, int iq_num)
 			INCR_INSTRQUEUE_PKT_COUNT(lio->oct_dev, iq_num,
 						  tx_restart, 1);
 			netif_wake_subqueue(netdev, iq->q_index);
-		} else {
-			if (!octnet_iq_is_full(oct, lio->txq)) {
-				INCR_INSTRQUEUE_PKT_COUNT(lio->oct_dev,
-							  lio->txq,
-							  tx_restart, 1);
-				wake_q(netdev, lio->txq);
-			}
 		}
+	} else if (netif_queue_stopped(netdev) &&
+		   lio->linfo.link.s.link_up &&
+		   (!octnet_iq_is_full(oct, lio->txq))) {
+		INCR_INSTRQUEUE_PKT_COUNT(lio->oct_dev,
+					  lio->txq, tx_restart, 1);
+		netif_wake_queue(netdev);
 	}
 }
 
@@ -2454,8 +2453,11 @@ static int liquidio_napi_poll(struct napi_struct *napi, int budget)
 	/* Flush the instruction queue */
 	iq = oct->instr_queue[iq_no];
 	if (iq) {
-		/* Process iq buffers with in the budget limits */
-		tx_done = octeon_flush_iq(oct, iq, budget);
+		if (atomic_read(&iq->instr_pending))
+			/* Process iq buffers with in the budget limits */
+			tx_done = octeon_flush_iq(oct, iq, budget);
+		else
+			tx_done = 1;
 		/* Update iq read-index rather than waiting for next interrupt.
 		 * Return back if tx_done is false.
 		 */
diff --git a/drivers/net/ethernet/cavium/liquidio/lio_vf_main.c b/drivers/net/ethernet/cavium/liquidio/lio_vf_main.c
index 65e6f4bfa1cf..68794fa5d322 100644
--- a/drivers/net/ethernet/cavium/liquidio/lio_vf_main.c
+++ b/drivers/net/ethernet/cavium/liquidio/lio_vf_main.c
@@ -687,13 +687,12 @@ static void update_txq_status(struct octeon_device *oct, int iq_num)
 			netif_wake_subqueue(netdev, iq->q_index);
 			INCR_INSTRQUEUE_PKT_COUNT(lio->oct_dev, iq_num,
 						  tx_restart, 1);
-		} else {
-			if (!octnet_iq_is_full(oct, lio->txq)) {
-				INCR_INSTRQUEUE_PKT_COUNT(
-				    lio->oct_dev, lio->txq, tx_restart, 1);
-				wake_q(netdev, lio->txq);
-			}
 		}
+	} else if (netif_queue_stopped(netdev) && lio->linfo.link.s.link_up &&
+		   (!octnet_iq_is_full(oct, lio->txq))) {
+		INCR_INSTRQUEUE_PKT_COUNT(lio->oct_dev,
+					  lio->txq, tx_restart, 1);
+		netif_wake_queue(netdev);
 	}
 }
 
@@ -1636,8 +1635,12 @@ static int liquidio_napi_poll(struct napi_struct *napi, int budget)
 	/* Flush the instruction queue */
 	iq = oct->instr_queue[iq_no];
 	if (iq) {
-		/* Process iq buffers with in the budget limits */
-		tx_done = octeon_flush_iq(oct, iq, budget);
+		if (atomic_read(&iq->instr_pending))
+			/* Process iq buffers with in the budget limits */
+			tx_done = octeon_flush_iq(oct, iq, budget);
+		else
+			tx_done = 1;
+
 		/* Update iq read-index rather than waiting for next interrupt.
 		 * Return back if tx_done is false.
 		 */