diff --git a/drivers/net/ethernet/xilinx/xilinx_axienet_main.c b/drivers/net/ethernet/xilinx/xilinx_axienet_main.c
index acfd7d545fef55391ffeb9305e963e98d1599562..94e39750932c7a0bc4ce9e631dc0185b7bd8c9eb 100644
--- a/drivers/net/ethernet/xilinx/xilinx_axienet_main.c
+++ b/drivers/net/ethernet/xilinx/xilinx_axienet_main.c
@@ -643,7 +643,6 @@ static int axienet_free_tx_chain(struct net_device *ndev, u32 first_bd,
 		if (cur_p->skb && (status & XAXIDMA_BD_STS_COMPLETE_MASK))
 			dev_consume_skb_irq(cur_p->skb);
 
-		cur_p->cntrl = 0;
 		cur_p->app0 = 0;
 		cur_p->app1 = 0;
 		cur_p->app2 = 0;
@@ -651,6 +650,7 @@ static int axienet_free_tx_chain(struct net_device *ndev, u32 first_bd,
 		cur_p->skb = NULL;
 		/* ensure our transmit path and device don't prematurely see status cleared */
 		wmb();
+		cur_p->cntrl = 0;
 		cur_p->status = 0;
 
 		if (sizep)
@@ -713,7 +713,7 @@ static inline int axienet_check_tx_bd_space(struct axienet_local *lp,
 	/* Ensure we see all descriptor updates from device or TX IRQ path */
 	rmb();
 	cur_p = &lp->tx_bd_v[(lp->tx_bd_tail + num_frag) % lp->tx_bd_num];
-	if (cur_p->status & XAXIDMA_BD_STS_ALL_MASK)
+	if (cur_p->cntrl)
 		return NETDEV_TX_BUSY;
 	return 0;
 }