diff --git a/drivers/net/ethernet/qlogic/qede/qede_main.c b/drivers/net/ethernet/qlogic/qede/qede_main.c
index 58e1a6e542eb..20d2296beb79 100644
--- a/drivers/net/ethernet/qlogic/qede/qede_main.c
+++ b/drivers/net/ethernet/qlogic/qede/qede_main.c
@@ -1238,7 +1238,10 @@ static int __qede_probe(struct pci_dev *pdev, u32 dp_module, u8 dp_level,
 err4:
 	qede_rdma_dev_remove(edev, (mode == QEDE_PROBE_RECOVERY));
 err3:
-	free_netdev(edev->ndev);
+	if (mode != QEDE_PROBE_RECOVERY)
+		free_netdev(edev->ndev);
+	else
+		edev->cdev = NULL;
 err2:
 	qed_ops->common->slowpath_stop(cdev);
 err1:
@@ -2473,7 +2476,8 @@ static int qede_close(struct net_device *ndev)
 
 	qede_unload(edev, QEDE_UNLOAD_NORMAL, false);
 
-	edev->ops->common->update_drv_state(edev->cdev, false);
+	if (edev->cdev)
+		edev->ops->common->update_drv_state(edev->cdev, false);
 
 	return 0;
 }