diff --git a/drivers/net/ethernet/netronome/nfp/nfp_net_common.c b/drivers/net/ethernet/netronome/nfp/nfp_net_common.c
index 8ed38fd5a852..c6d29fdbb880 100644
--- a/drivers/net/ethernet/netronome/nfp/nfp_net_common.c
+++ b/drivers/net/ethernet/netronome/nfp/nfp_net_common.c
@@ -2077,14 +2077,17 @@ nfp_ctrl_rx_one(struct nfp_net *nn, struct nfp_net_dp *dp,
 	return true;
 }
 
-static void nfp_ctrl_rx(struct nfp_net_r_vector *r_vec)
+static bool nfp_ctrl_rx(struct nfp_net_r_vector *r_vec)
 {
 	struct nfp_net_rx_ring *rx_ring = r_vec->rx_ring;
 	struct nfp_net *nn = r_vec->nfp_net;
 	struct nfp_net_dp *dp = &nn->dp;
+	unsigned int budget = 512;
 
-	while (nfp_ctrl_rx_one(nn, dp, r_vec, rx_ring))
+	while (nfp_ctrl_rx_one(nn, dp, r_vec, rx_ring) && budget--)
 		continue;
+
+	return budget;
 }
 
 static void nfp_ctrl_poll(unsigned long arg)
@@ -2096,9 +2099,13 @@ static void nfp_ctrl_poll(unsigned long arg)
 	__nfp_ctrl_tx_queued(r_vec);
 	spin_unlock_bh(&r_vec->lock);
 
-	nfp_ctrl_rx(r_vec);
-
-	nfp_net_irq_unmask(r_vec->nfp_net, r_vec->irq_entry);
+	if (nfp_ctrl_rx(r_vec)) {
+		nfp_net_irq_unmask(r_vec->nfp_net, r_vec->irq_entry);
+	} else {
+		tasklet_schedule(&r_vec->tasklet);
+		nn_dp_warn(&r_vec->nfp_net->dp,
+			   "control message budget exceeded!\n");
+	}
 }
 
 /* Setup and Configuration