diff --git a/drivers/net/ethernet/mellanox/mlxsw/core.c b/drivers/net/ethernet/mellanox/mlxsw/core.c
index dc12ab33afffb5..bda615614af5d3 100644
--- a/drivers/net/ethernet/mellanox/mlxsw/core.c
+++ b/drivers/net/ethernet/mellanox/mlxsw/core.c
@@ -520,6 +520,9 @@ 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;
 	}