diff --git a/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/e1000/e1000_main.c b/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/e1000/e1000_main.c
index 5f6aded512f5..24f3986cfae2 100644
--- a/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/e1000/e1000_main.c
+++ b/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/e1000/e1000_main.c
@@ -1075,7 +1075,10 @@ static int e1000_probe(struct pci_dev *pdev, const struct pci_device_id *ent)
 				  NETIF_F_HW_CSUM |
 				  NETIF_F_SG);
 
-	netdev->priv_flags |= IFF_UNICAST_FLT;
+	/* Do not set IFF_UNICAST_FLT for VMWare's 82545EM */
+	if (hw->device_id != E1000_DEV_ID_82545EM_COPPER ||
+	    hw->subsystem_vendor_id != PCI_VENDOR_ID_VMWARE)
+		netdev->priv_flags |= IFF_UNICAST_FLT;
 
 	adapter->en_mng_pt = e1000_enable_mng_pass_thru(hw);