diff --git a/drivers/net/thunderbolt.c b/drivers/net/thunderbolt.c
index ff5d0e98a088..ab3f04562980 100644
--- a/drivers/net/thunderbolt.c
+++ b/drivers/net/thunderbolt.c
@@ -612,18 +612,13 @@ static void tbnet_connected_work(struct work_struct *work)
 		return;
 	}
 
-	/* Both logins successful so enable the high-speed DMA paths and
-	 * start the network device queue.
+	/* Both logins successful so enable the rings, high-speed DMA
+	 * paths and start the network device queue.
+	 *
+	 * Note we enable the DMA paths last to make sure we have primed
+	 * the Rx ring before any incoming packets are allowed to
+	 * arrive.
 	 */
-	ret = tb_xdomain_enable_paths(net->xd, net->local_transmit_path,
-				      net->rx_ring.ring->hop,
-				      net->remote_transmit_path,
-				      net->tx_ring.ring->hop);
-	if (ret) {
-		netdev_err(net->dev, "failed to enable DMA paths\n");
-		return;
-	}
-
 	tb_ring_start(net->tx_ring.ring);
 	tb_ring_start(net->rx_ring.ring);
 
@@ -635,10 +630,21 @@ static void tbnet_connected_work(struct work_struct *work)
 	if (ret)
 		goto err_free_rx_buffers;
 
+	ret = tb_xdomain_enable_paths(net->xd, net->local_transmit_path,
+				      net->rx_ring.ring->hop,
+				      net->remote_transmit_path,
+				      net->tx_ring.ring->hop);
+	if (ret) {
+		netdev_err(net->dev, "failed to enable DMA paths\n");
+		goto err_free_tx_buffers;
+	}
+
 	netif_carrier_on(net->dev);
 	netif_start_queue(net->dev);
 	return;
 
+err_free_tx_buffers:
+	tbnet_free_buffers(&net->tx_ring);
 err_free_rx_buffers:
 	tbnet_free_buffers(&net->rx_ring);
 err_stop_rings: