diff --git a/drivers/net/ethernet/marvell/octeon_ep/octep_main.c b/drivers/net/ethernet/marvell/octeon_ep/octep_main.c
index a89f80bac39b..1b2f5cae0644 100644
--- a/drivers/net/ethernet/marvell/octeon_ep/octep_main.c
+++ b/drivers/net/ethernet/marvell/octeon_ep/octep_main.c
@@ -1184,7 +1184,7 @@ static void octep_hb_timeout_task(struct work_struct *work)
 		miss_cnt);
 	rtnl_lock();
 	if (netif_running(oct->netdev))
-		octep_stop(oct->netdev);
+		dev_close(oct->netdev);
 	rtnl_unlock();
 }