diff --git a/drivers/net/bfin_mac.c b/drivers/net/bfin_mac.c
index a173d8a40484..16f2a37c733d 100644
--- a/drivers/net/bfin_mac.c
+++ b/drivers/net/bfin_mac.c
@@ -980,12 +980,25 @@ out:
 	return NETDEV_TX_OK;
 }
 
+#define RX_ERROR_MASK (RX_LONG | RX_ALIGN | RX_CRC | RX_LEN | \
+	RX_FRAG | RX_ADDR | RX_DMAO | RX_PHY | RX_LATE | RX_RANGE)
+
 static void bfin_mac_rx(struct net_device *dev)
 {
 	struct sk_buff *skb, *new_skb;
 	unsigned short len;
 	struct bfin_mac_local *lp __maybe_unused = netdev_priv(dev);
 
+	/* check if frame status word reports an error condition
+	 * we which case we simply drop the packet
+	 */
+	if (current_rx_ptr->status.status_word & RX_ERROR_MASK) {
+		printk(KERN_NOTICE DRV_NAME
+		       ": rx: receive error - packet dropped\n");
+		dev->stats.rx_dropped++;
+		goto out;
+	}
+
 	/* allocate a new skb for next time receive */
 	skb = current_rx_ptr->skb;
 
@@ -1024,11 +1037,9 @@ static void bfin_mac_rx(struct net_device *dev)
 	netif_rx(skb);
 	dev->stats.rx_packets++;
 	dev->stats.rx_bytes += len;
+out:
 	current_rx_ptr->status.status_word = 0x00000000;
 	current_rx_ptr = current_rx_ptr->next;
-
-out:
-	return;
 }
 
 /* interrupt routine to handle rx and error signal */