diff --git a/drivers/net/ethernet/mellanox/mlxsw/core.c b/drivers/net/ethernet/mellanox/mlxsw/core.c
index 7277706847b18..8f0eec9fb17bd 100644
--- a/drivers/net/ethernet/mellanox/mlxsw/core.c
+++ b/drivers/net/ethernet/mellanox/mlxsw/core.c
@@ -493,6 +493,9 @@ static void mlxsw_emad_transmit_retry(struct mlxsw_core *mlxsw_core,
 		err = mlxsw_emad_transmit(trans->core, trans);
 		if (err == 0)
 			return;
+
+		if (!atomic_dec_and_test(&trans->active))
+			return;
 	} else {
 		err = -EIO;
 	}