diff --git a/drivers/net/ethernet/marvell/octeontx2/nic/otx2_vf.c b/drivers/net/ethernet/marvell/octeontx2/nic/otx2_vf.c
index 689e0853ab9c..5402f625041a 100644
--- a/drivers/net/ethernet/marvell/octeontx2/nic/otx2_vf.c
+++ b/drivers/net/ethernet/marvell/octeontx2/nic/otx2_vf.c
@@ -235,6 +235,9 @@ static int otx2vf_register_mbox_intr(struct otx2_nic *vf, bool probe_pf)
 	char *irq_name;
 	int err;
 
+	/* Clear stale mailbox interrupt state before installing the handler. */
+	otx2_write64(vf, RVU_VF_INT, BIT_ULL(0));
+
 	/* Register mailbox interrupt handler */
 	irq_name = &hw->irq_name[RVU_VF_INT_VEC_MBOX * NAME_SIZE];
 	snprintf(irq_name, NAME_SIZE, "RVUVFAF Mbox");
@@ -246,10 +249,7 @@ static int otx2vf_register_mbox_intr(struct otx2_nic *vf, bool probe_pf)
 		return err;
 	}
 
-	/* Enable mailbox interrupt for msgs coming from PF.
-	 * First clear to avoid spurious interrupts, if any.
-	 */
-	otx2_write64(vf, RVU_VF_INT, BIT_ULL(0));
+	/* Enable mailbox interrupt for msgs coming from PF. */
 	otx2_write64(vf, RVU_VF_INT_ENA_W1S, BIT_ULL(0));
 
 	if (!probe_pf)