diff --git a/sys/dev/pci/if_vioif.c b/sys/dev/pci/if_vioif.c
index 0550782a5b26..87542a6eae0c 100644
--- a/sys/dev/pci/if_vioif.c
+++ b/sys/dev/pci/if_vioif.c
@@ -317,6 +317,7 @@ struct vioif_softc {
 
 	uint8_t			sc_mac[ETHER_ADDR_LEN];
 	struct ethercom		sc_ethercom;
+	short			sc_deferred_init_done;
 	bool			sc_link_active;
 
 	struct vioif_txqueue	*sc_txq;
@@ -351,6 +352,7 @@ struct vioif_softc {
 /* cfattach interface functions */
 static int	vioif_match(device_t, cfdata_t, void *);
 static void	vioif_attach(device_t, device_t, void *);
+static void	vioif_deferred_init(device_t);
 static int	vioif_finalize_teardown(device_t);
 
 /* ifnet interface functions */
@@ -362,7 +364,6 @@ static int	vioif_transmit(struct ifnet *, struct mbuf *);
 static void	vioif_transmit_locked(struct ifnet *, struct vioif_txqueue *);
 static int	vioif_ioctl(struct ifnet *, u_long, void *);
 static void	vioif_watchdog(struct ifnet *);
-static int	vioif_ifflags_cb(struct ethercom *);
 
 /* rx */
 static int	vioif_add_rx_mbuf(struct vioif_rxqueue *, int);
@@ -415,7 +416,6 @@ static void	vioif_enable_interrupt_vqpairs(struct vioif_softc *);
 static void	vioif_disable_interrupt_vqpairs(struct vioif_softc *);
 static int	vioif_setup_sysctl(struct vioif_softc *);
 static void	vioif_setup_stats(struct vioif_softc *);
-static int	vioif_ifflags(struct vioif_softc *);
 
 CFATTACH_DECL_NEW(vioif, sizeof(struct vioif_softc),
 		  vioif_match, vioif_attach, NULL, NULL);
@@ -1050,7 +1050,6 @@ vioif_attach(device_t parent, device_t self, void *aux)
 	if_attach(ifp);
 	if_deferred_start_init(ifp, NULL);
 	ether_ifattach(ifp, sc->sc_mac);
-	ether_set_ifflags_cb(&sc->sc_ethercom, vioif_ifflags_cb);
 
 	return;
 
@@ -1119,6 +1118,23 @@ vioif_finalize_teardown(device_t self)
 	return 0;
 }
 
+/* we need interrupts to make promiscuous mode off */
+static void
+vioif_deferred_init(device_t self)
+{
+	struct vioif_softc *sc = device_private(self);
+	struct ifnet *ifp = &sc->sc_ethercom.ec_if;
+	int r;
+
+	if (ifp->if_flags & IFF_PROMISC)
+		return;
+
+	r =  vioif_set_promisc(sc, false);
+	if (r != 0)
+		aprint_error_dev(self, "resetting promisc mode failed, "
+		    "error code %d\n", r);
+}
+
 static void
 vioif_enable_interrupt_vqpairs(struct vioif_softc *sc)
 {
@@ -1202,12 +1218,18 @@ vioif_init(struct ifnet *ifp)
 
 	vioif_enable_interrupt_vqpairs(sc);
 
+	if (!sc->sc_deferred_init_done) {
+		sc->sc_deferred_init_done = 1;
+		if (sc->sc_has_ctrl)
+			vioif_deferred_init(sc->sc_dev);
+	}
+
 	vioif_update_link_status(sc);
 	ifp->if_flags |= IFF_RUNNING;
 	ifp->if_flags &= ~IFF_OACTIVE;
-	r = vioif_rx_filter(sc);
+	vioif_rx_filter(sc);
 
-	return r;
+	return 0;
 }
 
 static void
@@ -1464,12 +1486,12 @@ vioif_ioctl(struct ifnet *ifp, u_long cmd, void *data)
 	s = splnet();
 
 	r = ether_ioctl(ifp, cmd, data);
-	if (r == ENETRESET && (cmd == SIOCADDMULTI || cmd == SIOCDELMULTI)) {
-		if (ifp->if_flags & IFF_RUNNING) {
+	if ((r == 0 && cmd == SIOCSIFFLAGS) ||
+	    (r == ENETRESET && (cmd == SIOCADDMULTI || cmd == SIOCDELMULTI))) {
+		if (ifp->if_flags & IFF_RUNNING)
 			r = vioif_rx_filter(ifp->if_softc);
-		} else {
+		else
 			r = 0;
-		}
 	}
 
 	splx(s);
@@ -2245,57 +2267,14 @@ vioif_ctrl_intr(void *arg)
 	return 1;
 }
 
-static int
-vioif_ifflags(struct vioif_softc *sc)
-{
-	struct ifnet *ifp = &sc->sc_ethercom.ec_if;
-	bool onoff;
-	int r;
-
-	if (!sc->sc_has_ctrl) {
-		/* no ctrl vq; always promisc and allmulti */
-		ifp->if_flags |= (IFF_PROMISC | IFF_ALLMULTI);
-		return 0;
-	}
-
-	onoff = ifp->if_flags & IFF_ALLMULTI ? true : false;
-	r = vioif_set_allmulti(sc, onoff);
-	if (r != 0) {
-		log(LOG_WARNING,
-		    "%s: couldn't %sable ALLMULTI\n",
-		    ifp->if_xname, onoff ? "en" : "dis");
-		if (onoff == false) {
-			ifp->if_flags |= IFF_ALLMULTI;
-		}
-	}
-
-	onoff = ifp->if_flags & IFF_PROMISC ? true : false;
-	r = vioif_set_promisc(sc, onoff);
-	if (r != 0) {
-		log(LOG_WARNING,
-		    "%s: couldn't %sable PROMISC\n",
-		    ifp->if_xname, onoff ? "en" : "dis");
-		if (onoff == false) {
-			ifp->if_flags |= IFF_PROMISC;
-		}
-	}
-
-	return 0;
-}
-
-static int
-vioif_ifflags_cb(struct ethercom *ec)
-{
-	struct ifnet *ifp = &ec->ec_if;
-	struct vioif_softc *sc = ifp->if_softc;
-
-	return vioif_ifflags(sc);
-}
-
 /*
+ * If IFF_PROMISC requested,  set promiscuous
  * If multicast filter small enough (<=MAXENTRIES) set rx filter
  * If large multicast filter exist use ALLMULTI
+ */
+/*
  * If setting rx filter fails fall back to ALLMULTI
+ * If ALLMULTI fails fall back to PROMISC
  */
 static int
 vioif_rx_filter(struct vioif_softc *sc)
@@ -2307,67 +2286,80 @@ vioif_rx_filter(struct vioif_softc *sc)
 	struct ether_multistep step;
 	struct vioif_ctrlqueue *ctrlq = &sc->sc_ctrlq;
 	int nentries;
-	bool allmulti = 0;
+	int promisc = 0, allmulti = 0, rxfilter = 0;
 	int r;
 
-	if (!sc->sc_has_ctrl) {
-		goto set_ifflags;
+	if (!sc->sc_has_ctrl) {	/* no ctrl vq; always promisc */
+		ifp->if_flags |= IFF_PROMISC;
+		return 0;
+	}
+
+	if (ifp->if_flags & IFF_PROMISC) {
+		promisc = 1;
+		goto set;
 	}
 
 	memcpy(ctrlq->ctrlq_mac_tbl_uc->macs[0],
 	    CLLADDR(ifp->if_sadl), ETHER_ADDR_LEN);
 
-	nentries = 0;
-	allmulti = false;
-
+	nentries = -1;
 	ETHER_LOCK(ec);
-	for (ETHER_FIRST_MULTI(step, ec, enm); enm != NULL;
-	    ETHER_NEXT_MULTI(step, enm)) {
+	ETHER_FIRST_MULTI(step, ec, enm);
+	while (nentries++, enm != NULL) {
 		if (nentries >= VIRTIO_NET_CTRL_MAC_MAXENTRIES) {
-			allmulti = true;
-			break;
+			allmulti = 1;
+			goto set_unlock;
 		}
 		if (memcmp(enm->enm_addrlo, enm->enm_addrhi, ETHER_ADDR_LEN)) {
-			allmulti = true;
-			break;
+			allmulti = 1;
+			goto set_unlock;
 		}
-
 		memcpy(ctrlq->ctrlq_mac_tbl_mc->macs[nentries],
 		    enm->enm_addrlo, ETHER_ADDR_LEN);
-		nentries++;
+		ETHER_NEXT_MULTI(step, enm);
 	}
+	rxfilter = 1;
+
+set_unlock:
 	ETHER_UNLOCK(ec);
 
+set:
 	r = vioif_set_mac_addr(sc);
 	if (r != 0) {
 		log(LOG_WARNING, "%s: couldn't set MAC address\n",
 		    ifp->if_xname);
 	}
 
-	if (!allmulti) {
+	if (rxfilter) {
 		ctrlq->ctrlq_mac_tbl_uc->nentries = virtio_rw32(vsc, 1);
 		ctrlq->ctrlq_mac_tbl_mc->nentries = virtio_rw32(vsc, nentries);
 		r = vioif_set_rx_filter(sc);
 		if (r != 0) {
-			allmulti = true; /* fallback */
+			rxfilter = 0;
+			allmulti = 1; /* fallback */
 		}
-	}
-
-	if (allmulti) {
+	} else {
+		/* remove rx filter */
 		ctrlq->ctrlq_mac_tbl_uc->nentries = virtio_rw32(vsc, 0);
 		ctrlq->ctrlq_mac_tbl_mc->nentries = virtio_rw32(vsc, 0);
 		r = vioif_set_rx_filter(sc);
+		/* what to do on failure? */
+	}
+	if (allmulti) {
+		r = vioif_set_allmulti(sc, true);
 		if (r != 0) {
-			log(LOG_DEBUG, "%s: couldn't clear RX filter\n",
-			    ifp->if_xname);
-			/* what to do on failure? */
+			allmulti = 0;
+			promisc = 1; /* fallback */
 		}
-
-		ifp->if_flags |= IFF_ALLMULTI;
+	} else {
+		r = vioif_set_allmulti(sc, false);
+		/* what to do on failure? */
+	}
+	if (promisc) {
+		r = vioif_set_promisc(sc, true);
+	} else {
+		r = vioif_set_promisc(sc, false);
 	}
-
-set_ifflags:
-	r = vioif_ifflags(sc);
 
 	return r;
 }