diff --git a/drivers/net/ethernet/broadcom/bnx2x/bnx2x.h b/drivers/net/ethernet/broadcom/bnx2x/bnx2x.h
index edda716fdce4..dedbd76c033e 100644
--- a/drivers/net/ethernet/broadcom/bnx2x/bnx2x.h
+++ b/drivers/net/ethernet/broadcom/bnx2x/bnx2x.h
@@ -1330,6 +1330,7 @@ enum {
 	BNX2X_SP_RTNL_AFEX_F_UPDATE,
 	BNX2X_SP_RTNL_ENABLE_SRIOV,
 	BNX2X_SP_RTNL_VFPF_MCAST,
+	BNX2X_SP_RTNL_VFPF_CHANNEL_DOWN,
 	BNX2X_SP_RTNL_VFPF_STORM_RX_MODE,
 	BNX2X_SP_RTNL_HYPERVISOR_VLAN,
 };
@@ -1500,6 +1501,7 @@ struct bnx2x {
 #define USING_SINGLE_MSIX_FLAG		(1 << 20)
 #define BC_SUPPORTS_DCBX_MSG_NON_PMF	(1 << 21)
 #define IS_VF_FLAG			(1 << 22)
+#define INTERRUPTS_ENABLED_FLAG		(1 << 23)
 
 #define BP_NOMCP(bp)			((bp)->flags & NO_MCP_FLAG)
 
diff --git a/drivers/net/ethernet/broadcom/bnx2x/bnx2x_cmn.c b/drivers/net/ethernet/broadcom/bnx2x/bnx2x_cmn.c
index ca7f2bb08f44..d342c5a34afc 100644
--- a/drivers/net/ethernet/broadcom/bnx2x/bnx2x_cmn.c
+++ b/drivers/net/ethernet/broadcom/bnx2x/bnx2x_cmn.c
@@ -2871,6 +2871,9 @@ int bnx2x_nic_unload(struct bnx2x *bp, int unload_mode, bool keep_link)
 	bp->state = BNX2X_STATE_CLOSING_WAIT4_HALT;
 	smp_mb();
 
+	/* indicate to VFs that the PF is going down */
+	bnx2x_iov_channel_down(bp);
+
 	if (CNIC_LOADED(bp))
 		bnx2x_cnic_notify(bp, CNIC_CTL_STOP_CMD);
 
diff --git a/drivers/net/ethernet/broadcom/bnx2x/bnx2x_main.c b/drivers/net/ethernet/broadcom/bnx2x/bnx2x_main.c
index c962d66a1a79..7a7e326b3509 100644
--- a/drivers/net/ethernet/broadcom/bnx2x/bnx2x_main.c
+++ b/drivers/net/ethernet/broadcom/bnx2x/bnx2x_main.c
@@ -5457,9 +5457,19 @@ static void bnx2x_timer(unsigned long data)
 		bnx2x_stats_handle(bp, STATS_EVENT_UPDATE);
 
 	/* sample pf vf bulletin board for new posts from pf */
-	if (IS_VF(bp))
+	if (IS_VF(bp)) {
 		bnx2x_sample_bulletin(bp);
 
+		/* if channel is down we need to self destruct */
+		if (bp->old_bulletin.valid_bitmap & 1 << CHANNEL_DOWN) {
+			smp_mb__before_clear_bit();
+			set_bit(BNX2X_SP_RTNL_VFPF_CHANNEL_DOWN,
+				&bp->sp_rtnl_state);
+			smp_mb__after_clear_bit();
+			schedule_delayed_work(&bp->sp_rtnl_task, 0);
+		}
+	}
+
 	mod_timer(&bp->timer, jiffies + bp->current_interval);
 }
 
@@ -9620,6 +9630,13 @@ sp_rtnl_not_reset:
 		   "sending set mcast vf pf channel message from rtnl sp-task\n");
 		bnx2x_vfpf_set_mcast(bp->dev);
 	}
+	if (test_and_clear_bit(BNX2X_SP_RTNL_VFPF_CHANNEL_DOWN,
+			       &bp->sp_rtnl_state)){
+		if (!test_bit(__LINK_STATE_NOCARRIER, &bp->dev->state)) {
+			bnx2x_tx_disable(bp);
+			BNX2X_ERR("PF indicated channel is not servicable anymore. This means this VF device is no longer operational\n");
+		}
+	}
 
 	if (test_and_clear_bit(BNX2X_SP_RTNL_VFPF_STORM_RX_MODE,
 			       &bp->sp_rtnl_state)) {
@@ -12814,6 +12831,8 @@ static void __bnx2x_remove(struct pci_dev *pdev,
 		rtnl_unlock();
 	}
 
+	bnx2x_iov_remove_one(bp);
+
 	/* Power on: we can't let PCI layer write to us while we are in D3 */
 	if (IS_PF(bp))
 		bnx2x_set_power_state(bp, PCI_D0);
@@ -12828,8 +12847,6 @@ static void __bnx2x_remove(struct pci_dev *pdev,
 	/* Make sure RESET task is not scheduled before continuing */
 	cancel_delayed_work_sync(&bp->sp_rtnl_task);
 
-	bnx2x_iov_remove_one(bp);
-
 	/* send message via vfpf channel to release the resources of this vf */
 	if (IS_VF(bp))
 		bnx2x_vfpf_release(bp);
diff --git a/drivers/net/ethernet/broadcom/bnx2x/bnx2x_sriov.c b/drivers/net/ethernet/broadcom/bnx2x/bnx2x_sriov.c
index 8a556dd888d5..2a8ad6d4b540 100644
--- a/drivers/net/ethernet/broadcom/bnx2x/bnx2x_sriov.c
+++ b/drivers/net/ethernet/broadcom/bnx2x/bnx2x_sriov.c
@@ -1459,13 +1459,11 @@ static u8 bnx2x_vf_is_pcie_pending(struct bnx2x *bp, u8 abs_vfid)
 	struct bnx2x_virtf *vf = bnx2x_vf_by_abs_fid(bp, abs_vfid);
 
 	if (!vf)
-		goto unknown_dev;
+		return false;
 
 	dev = pci_get_bus_and_slot(vf->bus, vf->devfn);
 	if (dev)
 		return bnx2x_is_pcie_pending(dev);
-
-unknown_dev:
 	return false;
 }
 
@@ -3469,3 +3467,23 @@ int bnx2x_open_epilog(struct bnx2x *bp)
 
 	return 0;
 }
+
+void bnx2x_iov_channel_down(struct bnx2x *bp)
+{
+	int vf_idx;
+	struct pf_vf_bulletin_content *bulletin;
+
+	if (!IS_SRIOV(bp))
+		return;
+
+	for_each_vf(bp, vf_idx) {
+		/* locate this VFs bulletin board and update the channel down
+		 * bit
+		 */
+		bulletin = BP_VF_BULLETIN(bp, vf_idx);
+		bulletin->valid_bitmap |= 1 << CHANNEL_DOWN;
+
+		/* update vf bulletin board */
+		bnx2x_post_vf_bulletin(bp, vf_idx);
+	}
+}
diff --git a/drivers/net/ethernet/broadcom/bnx2x/bnx2x_sriov.h b/drivers/net/ethernet/broadcom/bnx2x/bnx2x_sriov.h
index f08c604a4fbd..9fc029ed9547 100644
--- a/drivers/net/ethernet/broadcom/bnx2x/bnx2x_sriov.h
+++ b/drivers/net/ethernet/broadcom/bnx2x/bnx2x_sriov.h
@@ -761,6 +761,7 @@ static inline int bnx2x_vf_headroom(struct bnx2x *bp)
 }
 void bnx2x_pf_set_vfs_vlan(struct bnx2x *bp);
 int bnx2x_sriov_configure(struct pci_dev *dev, int num_vfs);
+void bnx2x_iov_channel_down(struct bnx2x *bp);
 int bnx2x_open_epilog(struct bnx2x *bp);
 
 #else /* CONFIG_BNX2X_SRIOV */
@@ -817,6 +818,7 @@ static inline void __iomem *bnx2x_vf_doorbells(struct bnx2x *bp)
 static inline int bnx2x_vf_pci_alloc(struct bnx2x *bp) {return 0; }
 static inline void bnx2x_pf_set_vfs_vlan(struct bnx2x *bp) {}
 static inline int bnx2x_sriov_configure(struct pci_dev *dev, int num_vfs) {return 0; }
+static inline void bnx2x_iov_channel_down(struct bnx2x *bp) {}
 static inline int bnx2x_open_epilog(struct bnx2x *bp) {return 0; }
 
 #endif /* CONFIG_BNX2X_SRIOV */
diff --git a/drivers/net/ethernet/broadcom/bnx2x/bnx2x_vfpf.c b/drivers/net/ethernet/broadcom/bnx2x/bnx2x_vfpf.c
index 861809d3154b..2088063151d6 100644
--- a/drivers/net/ethernet/broadcom/bnx2x/bnx2x_vfpf.c
+++ b/drivers/net/ethernet/broadcom/bnx2x/bnx2x_vfpf.c
@@ -113,7 +113,7 @@ static int bnx2x_send_msg2pf(struct bnx2x *bp, u8 *done, dma_addr_t msg_mapping)
 {
 	struct cstorm_vf_zone_data __iomem *zone_data =
 		REG_ADDR(bp, PXP_VF_ADDR_CSDM_GLOBAL_START);
-	int tout = 600, interval = 100; /* wait for 60 seconds */
+	int tout = 100, interval = 100; /* wait for 10 seconds */
 
 	if (*done) {
 		BNX2X_ERR("done was non zero before message to pf was sent\n");
@@ -121,6 +121,16 @@ static int bnx2x_send_msg2pf(struct bnx2x *bp, u8 *done, dma_addr_t msg_mapping)
 		return -EINVAL;
 	}
 
+	/* if PF indicated channel is down avoid sending message. Return success
+	 * so calling flow can continue
+	 */
+	bnx2x_sample_bulletin(bp);
+	if (bp->old_bulletin.valid_bitmap & 1 << CHANNEL_DOWN) {
+		DP(BNX2X_MSG_IOV, "detecting channel down. Aborting message\n");
+		*done = PFVF_STATUS_SUCCESS;
+		return 0;
+	}
+
 	/* Write message address */
 	writel(U64_LO(msg_mapping),
 	       &zone_data->non_trigger.vf_pf_channel.msg_addr_lo);
diff --git a/drivers/net/ethernet/broadcom/bnx2x/bnx2x_vfpf.h b/drivers/net/ethernet/broadcom/bnx2x/bnx2x_vfpf.h
index 41708faab575..f3ad174a3a63 100644
--- a/drivers/net/ethernet/broadcom/bnx2x/bnx2x_vfpf.h
+++ b/drivers/net/ethernet/broadcom/bnx2x/bnx2x_vfpf.h
@@ -331,7 +331,10 @@ struct pf_vf_bulletin_content {
 #define VLAN_VALID		1	/* when set, the vf should not access
 					 * the vfpf channel
 					 */
-
+#define CHANNEL_DOWN		2	/* vfpf channel is disabled. VFs are not
+					 * to attempt to send messages on the
+					 * channel after this bit is set
+					 */
 	u8 mac[ETH_ALEN];
 	u8 mac_padding[2];