diff --git a/drivers/net/ethernet/qlogic/qed/qed_vf.c b/drivers/net/ethernet/qlogic/qed/qed_vf.c
index abf5bf11f865669c33c9428f98776bc7858e3abe..f580bf4c97f0950b53c1b960f2a4cb3223723e79 100644
--- a/drivers/net/ethernet/qlogic/qed/qed_vf.c
+++ b/drivers/net/ethernet/qlogic/qed/qed_vf.c
@@ -1230,8 +1230,8 @@ static void qed_handle_bulletin_change(struct qed_hwfn *hwfn)
 
 	is_mac_exist = qed_vf_bulletin_get_forced_mac(hwfn, mac,
 						      &is_mac_forced);
-	if (is_mac_exist && is_mac_forced && cookie)
-		ops->force_mac(cookie, mac);
+	if (is_mac_exist && cookie)
+		ops->force_mac(cookie, mac, !!is_mac_forced);
 
 	/* Always update link configuration according to bulletin */
 	qed_link_update(hwfn);
diff --git a/drivers/net/ethernet/qlogic/qede/qede_main.c b/drivers/net/ethernet/qlogic/qede/qede_main.c
index 343038ca047d7ed79369a271c0d13d6ca6b80567..9866d952e3e14049c1a02986e34d70e015afbf11 100644
--- a/drivers/net/ethernet/qlogic/qede/qede_main.c
+++ b/drivers/net/ethernet/qlogic/qede/qede_main.c
@@ -171,10 +171,14 @@ static struct pci_driver qede_pci_driver = {
 #endif
 };
 
-static void qede_force_mac(void *dev, u8 *mac)
+static void qede_force_mac(void *dev, u8 *mac, bool forced)
 {
 	struct qede_dev *edev = dev;
 
+	/* MAC hints take effect only if we haven't set one already */
+	if (is_valid_ether_addr(edev->ndev->dev_addr) && !forced)
+		return;
+
 	ether_addr_copy(edev->ndev->dev_addr, mac);
 	ether_addr_copy(edev->primary_mac, mac);
 }
diff --git a/include/linux/qed/qed_eth_if.h b/include/linux/qed/qed_eth_if.h
index 33c24ebc9b7f7be724eb02b40ff23a4ab54558e3..1c779486c30d142626737f90d95aee5a1cca82d0 100644
--- a/include/linux/qed/qed_eth_if.h
+++ b/include/linux/qed/qed_eth_if.h
@@ -129,7 +129,7 @@ struct qed_tunn_params {
 
 struct qed_eth_cb_ops {
 	struct qed_common_cb_ops common;
-	void (*force_mac) (void *dev, u8 *mac);
+	void (*force_mac) (void *dev, u8 *mac, bool forced);
 };
 
 #ifdef CONFIG_DCB