diff --git a/drivers/s390/net/qeth_core.h b/drivers/s390/net/qeth_core.h
index bf8404b0e74ff1..2544edd4d2b567 100644
--- a/drivers/s390/net/qeth_core.h
+++ b/drivers/s390/net/qeth_core.h
@@ -719,7 +719,6 @@ struct qeth_card_info {
 	u16 chid;
 	u8 ids_valid:1; /* cssid,iid,chid */
 	u8 dev_addr_is_registered:1;
-	u8 open_when_online:1;
 	u8 promisc_mode:1;
 	u8 use_v1_blkt:1;
 	u8 is_vm_nic:1;
diff --git a/drivers/s390/net/qeth_core_main.c b/drivers/s390/net/qeth_core_main.c
index 7b0155b0e99eeb..73d564906d0439 100644
--- a/drivers/s390/net/qeth_core_main.c
+++ b/drivers/s390/net/qeth_core_main.c
@@ -5351,8 +5351,6 @@ int qeth_set_offline(struct qeth_card *card, const struct qeth_discipline *disc,
 	qeth_clear_ipacmd_list(card);
 
 	rtnl_lock();
-	card->info.open_when_online = card->dev->flags & IFF_UP;
-	dev_close(card->dev);
 	netif_device_detach(card->dev);
 	netif_carrier_off(card->dev);
 	rtnl_unlock();
diff --git a/drivers/s390/net/qeth_l2_main.c b/drivers/s390/net/qeth_l2_main.c
index cfc931f2b7e2ca..1797addf69b637 100644
--- a/drivers/s390/net/qeth_l2_main.c
+++ b/drivers/s390/net/qeth_l2_main.c
@@ -2270,9 +2270,12 @@ static int qeth_l2_set_online(struct qeth_card *card, bool carrier_ok)
 		qeth_enable_hw_features(dev);
 		qeth_l2_enable_brport_features(card);
 
-		if (card->info.open_when_online) {
-			card->info.open_when_online = 0;
-			dev_open(dev, NULL);
+		if (netif_running(dev)) {
+			local_bh_disable();
+			napi_schedule(&card->napi);
+			/* kick-start the NAPI softirq: */
+			local_bh_enable();
+			qeth_l2_set_rx_mode(dev);
 		}
 		rtnl_unlock();
 	}
diff --git a/drivers/s390/net/qeth_l3_main.c b/drivers/s390/net/qeth_l3_main.c
index 291861c9b95698..d8cdf902412680 100644
--- a/drivers/s390/net/qeth_l3_main.c
+++ b/drivers/s390/net/qeth_l3_main.c
@@ -2037,9 +2037,11 @@ static int qeth_l3_set_online(struct qeth_card *card, bool carrier_ok)
 		netif_device_attach(dev);
 		qeth_enable_hw_features(dev);
 
-		if (card->info.open_when_online) {
-			card->info.open_when_online = 0;
-			dev_open(dev, NULL);
+		if (netif_running(dev)) {
+			local_bh_disable();
+			napi_schedule(&card->napi);
+			/* kick-start the NAPI softirq: */
+			local_bh_enable();
 		}
 		rtnl_unlock();
 	}