diff --git a/drivers/net/ethernet/ti/davinci_emac.c b/drivers/net/ethernet/ti/davinci_emac.c
index 4fa0bcb25dfc..4b2f54565f64 100644
--- a/drivers/net/ethernet/ti/davinci_emac.c
+++ b/drivers/net/ethernet/ti/davinci_emac.c
@@ -1009,7 +1009,7 @@ static void emac_rx_handler(void *token, int len, int status)
 	int			ret;
 
 	/* free and bail if we are shutting down */
-	if (unlikely(!netif_running(ndev) || !netif_carrier_ok(ndev))) {
+	if (unlikely(!netif_running(ndev))) {
 		dev_kfree_skb_any(skb);
 		return;
 	}
@@ -1038,7 +1038,9 @@ static void emac_rx_handler(void *token, int len, int status)
 recycle:
 	ret = cpdma_chan_submit(priv->rxchan, skb, skb->data,
 			skb_tailroom(skb), GFP_KERNEL);
-	if (WARN_ON(ret < 0))
+
+	WARN_ON(ret == -ENOMEM);
+	if (unlikely(ret < 0))
 		dev_kfree_skb_any(skb);
 }