diff --git a/drivers/s390/net/qeth_l2_main.c b/drivers/s390/net/qeth_l2_main.c
index 7a7a1b664781..2ac8f6aff5a4 100644
--- a/drivers/s390/net/qeth_l2_main.c
+++ b/drivers/s390/net/qeth_l2_main.c
@@ -831,12 +831,14 @@ static int qeth_l2_hard_start_xmit(struct sk_buff *skb, struct net_device *dev)
 	return NETDEV_TX_OK;
 }
 
-static int qeth_l2_open(struct net_device *dev)
+static int __qeth_l2_open(struct net_device *dev)
 {
 	struct qeth_card *card = dev->ml_priv;
 	int rc = 0;
 
 	QETH_CARD_TEXT(card, 4, "qethopen");
+	if (card->state == CARD_STATE_UP)
+		return rc;
 	if (card->state != CARD_STATE_SOFTSETUP)
 		return -ENODEV;
 
@@ -857,6 +859,18 @@ static int qeth_l2_open(struct net_device *dev)
 	return rc;
 }
 
+static int qeth_l2_open(struct net_device *dev)
+{
+	struct qeth_card *card = dev->ml_priv;
+
+	QETH_CARD_TEXT(card, 5, "qethope_");
+	if (qeth_wait_for_threads(card, QETH_RECOVER_THREAD)) {
+		QETH_CARD_TEXT(card, 3, "openREC");
+		return -ERESTARTSYS;
+	}
+	return __qeth_l2_open(dev);
+}
+
 static int qeth_l2_stop(struct net_device *dev)
 {
 	struct qeth_card *card = dev->ml_priv;
@@ -1046,7 +1060,7 @@ static int __qeth_l2_set_online(struct ccwgroup_device *gdev, int recovery_mode)
 	if (recover_flag == CARD_STATE_RECOVER) {
 		if (recovery_mode &&
 		    card->info.type != QETH_CARD_TYPE_OSN) {
-			qeth_l2_open(card->dev);
+			__qeth_l2_open(card->dev);
 		} else {
 			rtnl_lock();
 			dev_open(card->dev);
diff --git a/drivers/s390/net/qeth_l3_main.c b/drivers/s390/net/qeth_l3_main.c
index e227e465bfc4..988255b443e4 100644
--- a/drivers/s390/net/qeth_l3_main.c
+++ b/drivers/s390/net/qeth_l3_main.c
@@ -3240,12 +3240,14 @@ static int qeth_l3_hard_start_xmit(struct sk_buff *skb, struct net_device *dev)
 	return NETDEV_TX_OK;
 }
 
-static int qeth_l3_open(struct net_device *dev)
+static int __qeth_l3_open(struct net_device *dev)
 {
 	struct qeth_card *card = dev->ml_priv;
 	int rc = 0;
 
 	QETH_CARD_TEXT(card, 4, "qethopen");
+	if (card->state == CARD_STATE_UP)
+		return rc;
 	if (card->state != CARD_STATE_SOFTSETUP)
 		return -ENODEV;
 	card->data.state = CH_STATE_UP;
@@ -3260,6 +3262,18 @@ static int qeth_l3_open(struct net_device *dev)
 	return rc;
 }
 
+static int qeth_l3_open(struct net_device *dev)
+{
+	struct qeth_card *card = dev->ml_priv;
+
+	QETH_CARD_TEXT(card, 5, "qethope_");
+	if (qeth_wait_for_threads(card, QETH_RECOVER_THREAD)) {
+		QETH_CARD_TEXT(card, 3, "openREC");
+		return -ERESTARTSYS;
+	}
+	return __qeth_l3_open(dev);
+}
+
 static int qeth_l3_stop(struct net_device *dev)
 {
 	struct qeth_card *card = dev->ml_priv;
@@ -3564,7 +3578,7 @@ static int __qeth_l3_set_online(struct ccwgroup_device *gdev, int recovery_mode)
 		netif_carrier_off(card->dev);
 	if (recover_flag == CARD_STATE_RECOVER) {
 		if (recovery_mode)
-			qeth_l3_open(card->dev);
+			__qeth_l3_open(card->dev);
 		else {
 			rtnl_lock();
 			dev_open(card->dev);