diff --git a/sys/dev/sfxge/common/efx_mcdi.c b/sys/dev/sfxge/common/efx_mcdi.c
index 5fd484e20f9b..1a12b65643a8 100644
--- a/sys/dev/sfxge/common/efx_mcdi.c
+++ b/sys/dev/sfxge/common/efx_mcdi.c
@@ -519,6 +519,11 @@ efx_mcdi_request_poll(
 		if ((rc = efx_mcdi_poll_reboot(enp)) != 0) {
 			emip->emi_pending_req = NULL;
 			EFSYS_UNLOCK(enp->en_eslp, state);
+
+			/* Reboot/Assertion */
+			if (rc == EIO || rc == EINTR)
+				efx_mcdi_raise_exception(enp, emrp, rc);
+
 			goto fail1;
 		}
 	}
@@ -553,10 +558,6 @@ fail1:
 	if (!emrp->emr_quiet)
 		EFSYS_PROBE1(fail1, efx_rc_t, rc);
 
-	/* Reboot/Assertion */
-	if (rc == EIO || rc == EINTR)
-		efx_mcdi_raise_exception(enp, emrp, rc);
-
 	return (B_TRUE);
 }