diff --git a/drivers/net/bnx2x/bnx2x.c b/drivers/net/bnx2x/bnx2x.c
index 5f353a7ef7..5a47fd8fea 100644
--- a/drivers/net/bnx2x/bnx2x.c
+++ b/drivers/net/bnx2x/bnx2x.c
@@ -2401,6 +2401,9 @@ static void bnx2x_free_mem(struct bnx2x_softc *sc)
 	ecore_ilt_mem_op(sc, ILT_MEMOP_FREE);
 
 	bnx2x_free_ilt_lines_mem(sc);
+
+	/* free the host hardware/software hsi structures */
+	bnx2x_free_hsi_mem(sc);
 }
 
 static int bnx2x_alloc_mem(struct bnx2x_softc *sc)
@@ -2451,6 +2454,13 @@ static int bnx2x_alloc_mem(struct bnx2x_softc *sc)
 		return -1;
 	}
 
+	/* allocate the host hardware/software hsi structures */
+	if (bnx2x_alloc_hsi_mem(sc) != 0) {
+		PMD_DRV_LOG(ERR, sc, "bnx2x_alloc_hsi_mem was failed");
+		bnx2x_free_mem(sc);
+		return -ENXIO;
+	}
+
 	return 0;
 }
 
diff --git a/drivers/net/bnx2x/bnx2x_ethdev.c b/drivers/net/bnx2x/bnx2x_ethdev.c
index 567dc55603..11a20e210a 100644
--- a/drivers/net/bnx2x/bnx2x_ethdev.c
+++ b/drivers/net/bnx2x/bnx2x_ethdev.c
@@ -207,13 +207,6 @@ bnx2x_dev_configure(struct rte_eth_dev *dev)
 		return -ENXIO;
 	}
 
-	/* allocate the host hardware/software hsi structures */
-	if (bnx2x_alloc_hsi_mem(sc) != 0) {
-		PMD_DRV_LOG(ERR, sc, "bnx2x_alloc_hsi_mem was failed");
-		bnx2x_free_ilt_mem(sc);
-		return -ENXIO;
-	}
-
 	bnx2x_dev_rxtx_init_dummy(dev);
 	return 0;
 }
@@ -294,9 +287,6 @@ bnx2x_dev_close(struct rte_eth_dev *dev)
 	bnx2x_dev_clear_queues(dev);
 	memset(&(dev->data->dev_link), 0 , sizeof(struct rte_eth_link));
 
-	/* free the host hardware/software hsi structures */
-	bnx2x_free_hsi_mem(sc);
-
 	/* free ilt */
 	bnx2x_free_ilt_mem(sc);
 }