diff --git a/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/ice/ice.h b/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/ice/ice.h
index 2924c67567b8a..13ffa3f6a5216 100644
--- a/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/ice/ice.h
+++ b/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/ice/ice.h
@@ -226,6 +226,7 @@ enum ice_pf_state {
 	ICE_VFLR_EVENT_PENDING,
 	ICE_FLTR_OVERFLOW_PROMISC,
 	ICE_VF_DIS,
+	ICE_VF_DEINIT_IN_PROGRESS,
 	ICE_CFG_BUSY,
 	ICE_SERVICE_SCHED,
 	ICE_SERVICE_DIS,
diff --git a/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/ice/ice_virtchnl_pf.c b/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/ice/ice_virtchnl_pf.c
index 97a46c616aca7..671902d9fc353 100644
--- a/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/ice/ice_virtchnl_pf.c
+++ b/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/ice/ice_virtchnl_pf.c
@@ -615,6 +615,8 @@ void ice_free_vfs(struct ice_pf *pf)
 	struct ice_hw *hw = &pf->hw;
 	unsigned int tmp, i;
 
+	set_bit(ICE_VF_DEINIT_IN_PROGRESS, pf->state);
+
 	if (!pf->vf)
 		return;
 
@@ -680,6 +682,7 @@ void ice_free_vfs(struct ice_pf *pf)
 				i);
 
 	clear_bit(ICE_VF_DIS, pf->state);
+	clear_bit(ICE_VF_DEINIT_IN_PROGRESS, pf->state);
 	clear_bit(ICE_FLAG_SRIOV_ENA, pf->flags);
 }
 
@@ -4292,6 +4295,10 @@ void ice_vc_process_vf_msg(struct ice_pf *pf, struct ice_rq_event_info *event)
 	struct device *dev;
 	int err = 0;
 
+	/* if de-init is underway, don't process messages from VF */
+	if (test_bit(ICE_VF_DEINIT_IN_PROGRESS, pf->state))
+		return;
+
 	dev = ice_pf_to_dev(pf);
 	if (ice_validate_vf_id(pf, vf_id)) {
 		err = -EINVAL;