diff --git a/drivers/net/usb/lan78xx.c b/drivers/net/usb/lan78xx.c
index 62948098191ff0..f24a1b0b801f03 100644
--- a/drivers/net/usb/lan78xx.c
+++ b/drivers/net/usb/lan78xx.c
@@ -1264,8 +1264,11 @@ static void lan78xx_status(struct lan78xx_net *dev, struct urb *urb)
 		netif_dbg(dev, link, dev->net, "PHY INTR: 0x%08x\n", intdata);
 		lan78xx_defer_kevent(dev, EVENT_LINK_RESET);
 
-		if (dev->domain_data.phyirq > 0)
+		if (dev->domain_data.phyirq > 0) {
+			local_irq_disable();
 			generic_handle_irq(dev->domain_data.phyirq);
+			local_irq_enable();
+		}
 	} else
 		netdev_warn(dev->net,
 			    "unexpected interrupt: 0x%08x\n", intdata);