diff --git a/drivers/net/bnxt/bnxt_ethdev.c b/drivers/net/bnxt/bnxt_ethdev.c
index 2c18b37322..3235bcd4a7 100644
--- a/drivers/net/bnxt/bnxt_ethdev.c
+++ b/drivers/net/bnxt/bnxt_ethdev.c
@@ -645,6 +645,7 @@ static int bnxt_dev_start_op(struct rte_eth_dev *eth_dev)
 	if (rc)
 		goto error;
 
+	bnxt_enable_int(bp);
 	bp->flags |= BNXT_FLAG_INIT_DONE;
 	return 0;
 
@@ -684,6 +685,13 @@ static int bnxt_dev_set_link_down_op(struct rte_eth_dev *eth_dev)
 static void bnxt_dev_stop_op(struct rte_eth_dev *eth_dev)
 {
 	struct bnxt *bp = eth_dev->data->dev_private;
+	struct rte_pci_device *pci_dev = RTE_ETH_DEV_TO_PCI(eth_dev);
+	struct rte_intr_handle *intr_handle = &pci_dev->intr_handle;
+
+	bnxt_disable_int(bp);
+
+	/* disable uio/vfio intr/eventfd mapping */
+	rte_intr_disable(intr_handle);
 
 	bp->flags &= ~BNXT_FLAG_INIT_DONE;
 	if (bp->eth_dev->data->dev_started) {
@@ -691,6 +699,14 @@ static void bnxt_dev_stop_op(struct rte_eth_dev *eth_dev)
 		eth_dev->data->dev_link.link_status = 0;
 	}
 	bnxt_set_hwrm_link_config(bp, false);
+
+	/* Clean queue intr-vector mapping */
+	rte_intr_efd_disable(intr_handle);
+	if (intr_handle->intr_vec != NULL) {
+		rte_free(intr_handle->intr_vec);
+		intr_handle->intr_vec = NULL;
+	}
+
 	bnxt_hwrm_port_clr_stats(bp);
 	bnxt_free_tx_mbufs(bp);
 	bnxt_free_rx_mbufs(bp);
@@ -3517,7 +3533,6 @@ bnxt_dev_init(struct rte_eth_dev *eth_dev)
 	if (rc)
 		goto error_free_int;
 
-	bnxt_enable_int(bp);
 	bnxt_init_nic(bp);
 
 	return 0;
diff --git a/drivers/net/bnxt/bnxt_irq.c b/drivers/net/bnxt/bnxt_irq.c
index 8ea17793e7..fc60839aea 100644
--- a/drivers/net/bnxt/bnxt_irq.c
+++ b/drivers/net/bnxt/bnxt_irq.c
@@ -58,7 +58,6 @@ void bnxt_free_int(struct bnxt *bp)
 	irq = bp->irq_tbl;
 	if (irq) {
 		if (irq->requested) {
-			rte_intr_disable(&bp->pdev->intr_handle);
 			rte_intr_callback_unregister(&bp->pdev->intr_handle,
 						     irq->handler,
 						     (void *)bp->eth_dev);
@@ -123,7 +122,6 @@ int bnxt_request_int(struct bnxt *bp)
 
 	rte_intr_callback_register(&bp->pdev->intr_handle, irq->handler,
 				   (void *)bp->eth_dev);
-	rte_intr_enable(&bp->pdev->intr_handle);
 
 	irq->requested = 1;
 	return rc;