diff --git a/drivers/net/vmxnet3/vmxnet3_drv.c b/drivers/net/vmxnet3/vmxnet3_drv.c
index b70654c7ad34..151d7cdfc480 100644
--- a/drivers/net/vmxnet3/vmxnet3_drv.c
+++ b/drivers/net/vmxnet3/vmxnet3_drv.c
@@ -3599,8 +3599,6 @@ vmxnet3_change_mtu(struct net_device *netdev, int new_mtu)
 	struct vmxnet3_adapter *adapter = netdev_priv(netdev);
 	int err = 0;
 
-	WRITE_ONCE(netdev->mtu, new_mtu);
-
 	/*
 	 * Reset_work may be in the middle of resetting the device, wait for its
 	 * completion.
@@ -3614,6 +3612,7 @@ vmxnet3_change_mtu(struct net_device *netdev, int new_mtu)
 
 		/* we need to re-create the rx queue based on the new mtu */
 		vmxnet3_rq_destroy_all(adapter);
+		WRITE_ONCE(netdev->mtu, new_mtu);
 		vmxnet3_adjust_rx_ring_size(adapter);
 		err = vmxnet3_rq_create_all(adapter);
 		if (err) {
@@ -3630,6 +3629,8 @@ vmxnet3_change_mtu(struct net_device *netdev, int new_mtu)
 				   "Closing it\n", err);
 			goto out;
 		}
+	} else {
+		WRITE_ONCE(netdev->mtu, new_mtu);
 	}
 
 out: