diff --git a/drivers/staging/greybus/interface.c b/drivers/staging/greybus/interface.c
index 2553312dc332..e0c38f158435 100644
--- a/drivers/staging/greybus/interface.c
+++ b/drivers/staging/greybus/interface.c
@@ -409,6 +409,8 @@ int gb_interface_activate(struct gb_interface *intf)
 	if (ret)
 		return ret;
 
+	intf->active = true;
+
 	return 0;
 }
 
@@ -419,7 +421,12 @@ int gb_interface_activate(struct gb_interface *intf)
  */
 void gb_interface_deactivate(struct gb_interface *intf)
 {
+	if (!intf->active)
+		return;
+
 	gb_interface_route_destroy(intf);
+
+	intf->active = false;
 }
 
 /*
diff --git a/drivers/staging/greybus/interface.h b/drivers/staging/greybus/interface.h
index 61399e7ea102..c9c1c92ece46 100644
--- a/drivers/staging/greybus/interface.h
+++ b/drivers/staging/greybus/interface.h
@@ -43,6 +43,7 @@ struct gb_interface {
 
 	bool disconnected;
 	bool ejected;
+	bool active;
 	bool enabled;
 };
 #define to_gb_interface(d) container_of(d, struct gb_interface, dev)