diff --git a/drivers/net/bnxt/bnxt_ethdev.c b/drivers/net/bnxt/bnxt_ethdev.c
index 90139bc837..2dbfd11cd7 100644
--- a/drivers/net/bnxt/bnxt_ethdev.c
+++ b/drivers/net/bnxt/bnxt_ethdev.c
@@ -1418,6 +1418,11 @@ static int bnxt_vlan_filter_set_op(struct rte_eth_dev *eth_dev,
 {
 	struct bnxt *bp = eth_dev->data->dev_private;
 
+	if (!eth_dev->data->dev_started) {
+		PMD_DRV_LOG(ERR, "port must be started before setting vlan\n");
+		return -EINVAL;
+	}
+
 	/* These operations apply to ALL existing MAC/VLAN filters */
 	if (on)
 		return bnxt_add_vlan_filter(bp, vlan_id);