diff --git a/drivers/net/ethernet/freescale/fec_main.c b/drivers/net/ethernet/freescale/fec_main.c
index 43e4d261183b..54e8b3dac477 100644
--- a/drivers/net/ethernet/freescale/fec_main.c
+++ b/drivers/net/ethernet/freescale/fec_main.c
@@ -1079,7 +1079,8 @@ fec_restart(struct net_device *ndev)
 	u32 rcntl = OPT_FRAME_SIZE | 0x04;
 	u32 ecntl = FEC_ECR_ETHEREN;
 
-	fec_ptp_save_state(fep);
+	if (fep->bufdesc_ex)
+		fec_ptp_save_state(fep);
 
 	/* Whack a reset.  We should wait for this.
 	 * For i.MX6SX SOC, enet use AXI bus, we use disable MAC
@@ -1342,7 +1343,8 @@ fec_stop(struct net_device *ndev)
 			netdev_err(ndev, "Graceful transmit stop did not complete!\n");
 	}
 
-	fec_ptp_save_state(fep);
+	if (fep->bufdesc_ex)
+		fec_ptp_save_state(fep);
 
 	/* Whack a reset.  We should wait for this.
 	 * For i.MX6SX SOC, enet use AXI bus, we use disable MAC