diff --git a/sys/dev/mlx5/mlx5_en/en.h b/sys/dev/mlx5/mlx5_en/en.h
index bbb71cae0444..0a927c615176 100644
--- a/sys/dev/mlx5/mlx5_en/en.h
+++ b/sys/dev/mlx5/mlx5_en/en.h
@@ -507,10 +507,11 @@ struct mlx5e_sq {
 	u16	bf_offset;
 	u16	cev_counter;		/* completion event counter */
 	u16	cev_factor;		/* completion event factor */
-	u32	cev_next_state;		/* next completion event state */
+	u16	cev_next_state;		/* next completion event state */
 #define	MLX5E_CEV_STATE_INITIAL 0	/* timer not started */
 #define	MLX5E_CEV_STATE_SEND_NOPS 1	/* send NOPs */
 #define	MLX5E_CEV_STATE_HOLD_NOPS 2	/* don't send NOPs yet */
+	u16	stopped;		/* set if SQ is stopped */
 	struct callout cev_callout;
 	union {
 		u32	d32[2];
diff --git a/sys/dev/mlx5/mlx5_en/mlx5_en_main.c b/sys/dev/mlx5/mlx5_en/mlx5_en_main.c
index ea353d780e1f..0e5f9a1db4a3 100644
--- a/sys/dev/mlx5/mlx5_en/mlx5_en_main.c
+++ b/sys/dev/mlx5/mlx5_en/mlx5_en_main.c
@@ -1219,8 +1219,25 @@ mlx5e_sq_cev_timeout(void *arg)
 void
 mlx5e_drain_sq(struct mlx5e_sq *sq)
 {
+	int error;
+
+	/*
+	 * Check if already stopped.
+	 *
+	 * NOTE: The "stopped" variable is only written when both the
+	 * priv's configuration lock and the SQ's lock is locked. It
+	 * can therefore safely be read when only one of the two locks
+	 * is locked. This function is always called when the priv's
+	 * configuration lock is locked.
+	 */
+	if (sq->stopped != 0)
+		return;
 
 	mtx_lock(&sq->lock);
+
+	/* don't put more packets into the SQ */
+	sq->stopped = 1;
+
 	/* teardown event factor timer, if any */
 	sq->cev_next_state = MLX5E_CEV_STATE_HOLD_NOPS;
 	callout_stop(&sq->cev_callout);
@@ -1232,14 +1249,29 @@ mlx5e_drain_sq(struct mlx5e_sq *sq)
 	/* make sure it is safe to free the callout */
 	callout_drain(&sq->cev_callout);
 
+	/* wait till SQ is empty or link is down */
+	mtx_lock(&sq->lock);
+	while (sq->cc != sq->pc &&
+	    (sq->priv->media_status_last & IFM_ACTIVE) != 0) {
+		mtx_unlock(&sq->lock);
+		msleep(1);
+		sq->cq.mcq.comp(&sq->cq.mcq);
+		mtx_lock(&sq->lock);
+	}
+	mtx_unlock(&sq->lock);
+
 	/* error out remaining requests */
-	mlx5e_modify_sq(sq, MLX5_SQC_STATE_RDY, MLX5_SQC_STATE_ERR);
+	error = mlx5e_modify_sq(sq, MLX5_SQC_STATE_RDY, MLX5_SQC_STATE_ERR);
+	if (error != 0) {
+		if_printf(sq->ifp,
+		    "mlx5e_modify_sq() from RDY to ERR failed: %d\n", error);
+	}
 
 	/* wait till SQ is empty */
 	mtx_lock(&sq->lock);
 	while (sq->cc != sq->pc) {
 		mtx_unlock(&sq->lock);
-		msleep(4);
+		msleep(1);
 		sq->cq.mcq.comp(&sq->cq.mcq);
 		mtx_lock(&sq->lock);
 	}
diff --git a/sys/dev/mlx5/mlx5_en/mlx5_en_tx.c b/sys/dev/mlx5/mlx5_en/mlx5_en_tx.c
index eae3d728dff2..be82a7b2b974 100644
--- a/sys/dev/mlx5/mlx5_en/mlx5_en_tx.c
+++ b/sys/dev/mlx5/mlx5_en/mlx5_en_tx.c
@@ -81,11 +81,15 @@ static struct mlx5e_sq *
 mlx5e_select_queue(struct ifnet *ifp, struct mbuf *mb)
 {
 	struct mlx5e_priv *priv = ifp->if_softc;
+	struct mlx5e_channel * volatile *ppch;
+	struct mlx5e_channel *pch;
 	u32 ch;
 	u32 tc;
 
+	ppch = priv->channel;
+
 	/* check if channels are successfully opened */
-	if (unlikely(priv->channel == NULL))
+	if (unlikely(ppch == NULL))
 		return (NULL);
 
 	/* obtain VLAN information if present */
@@ -123,11 +127,11 @@ mlx5e_select_queue(struct ifnet *ifp, struct mbuf *mb)
 #endif
 	}
 
-	/* check if channel is allocated */
-	if (unlikely(priv->channel[ch] == NULL))
-		return (NULL);
-
-	return (&priv->channel[ch]->sq[tc]);
+	/* check if channel is allocated and not stopped */
+	pch = ppch[ch];
+	if (likely(pch != NULL && pch->sq[tc].stopped == 0))
+		return (&pch->sq[tc]);
+	return (NULL);
 }
 
 static inline u16
@@ -445,18 +449,21 @@ mlx5e_xmit_locked(struct ifnet *ifp, struct mlx5e_sq *sq, struct mbuf *mb)
 	struct mbuf *next;
 	int err = 0;
 
-	if ((ifp->if_drv_flags & IFF_DRV_RUNNING) == 0) {
-		if (mb)
-			err = drbr_enqueue(ifp, sq->br, mb);
-		return (err);
-	}
-
-	if (mb != NULL)
+	if (likely(mb != NULL)) {
 		/*
 		 * If we can't insert mbuf into drbr, try to xmit anyway.
 		 * We keep the error we got so we could return that after xmit.
 		 */
 		err = drbr_enqueue(ifp, sq->br, mb);
+	}
+
+	/*
+	 * Check if the network interface is closed or if the SQ is
+	 * being stopped:
+	 */
+	if (unlikely((ifp->if_drv_flags & IFF_DRV_RUNNING) == 0 ||
+	    sq->stopped != 0))
+		return (err);
 
 	/* Process the queue */
 	while ((next = drbr_peek(ifp, sq->br)) != NULL) {
@@ -470,8 +477,6 @@ mlx5e_xmit_locked(struct ifnet *ifp, struct mlx5e_sq *sq, struct mbuf *mb)
 			break;
 		}
 		drbr_advance(ifp, sq->br);
-		if ((ifp->if_drv_flags & IFF_DRV_RUNNING) == 0)
-			break;
 	}
 	/* Check if we need to write the doorbell */
 	if (likely(sq->doorbell.d64 != 0)) {