diff --git a/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/fm10k/fm10k_pci.c b/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/fm10k/fm10k_pci.c
index 25458ca..cc527dd 100644
--- a/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/fm10k/fm10k_pci.c
+++ b/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/fm10k/fm10k_pci.c
@@ -1489,7 +1489,7 @@ void fm10k_up(struct fm10k_intfc *interface)
 	/* enable transmits */
 	netif_tx_start_all_queues(interface->netdev);
 
-	/* kick off the service timer */
+	/* kick off the service timer now */
 	hw->mac.get_host_state = 1;
 	mod_timer(&interface->service_timer, jiffies);
 }
@@ -1529,8 +1529,6 @@ void fm10k_down(struct fm10k_intfc *interface)
 	/* disable polling routines */
 	fm10k_napi_disable_all(interface);
 
-	del_timer_sync(&interface->service_timer);
-
 	/* capture stats one last time before stopping interface */
 	fm10k_update_stats(interface);
 
@@ -1656,6 +1654,9 @@ static int fm10k_sw_init(struct fm10k_intfc *interface,
 		    (unsigned long)interface);
 	INIT_WORK(&interface->service_task, fm10k_service_task);
 
+	/* kick off service timer now, even when interface is down */
+	mod_timer(&interface->service_timer, (HZ * 2) + jiffies);
+
 	/* Intitialize timestamp data */
 	fm10k_ts_init(interface);
 
@@ -1872,6 +1873,8 @@ static void fm10k_remove(struct pci_dev *pdev)
 	struct fm10k_intfc *interface = pci_get_drvdata(pdev);
 	struct net_device *netdev = interface->netdev;
 
+	del_timer_sync(&interface->service_timer);
+
 	set_bit(__FM10K_SERVICE_DISABLE, &interface->state);
 	cancel_work_sync(&interface->service_task);