diff --git a/drivers/net/netxen/netxen_nic_ethtool.c b/drivers/net/netxen/netxen_nic_ethtool.c
index 653d308..3bdcc80 100644
--- a/drivers/net/netxen/netxen_nic_ethtool.c
+++ b/drivers/net/netxen/netxen_nic_ethtool.c
@@ -871,7 +871,7 @@ static int netxen_nic_set_flags(struct net_device *netdev, u32 data)
 	struct netxen_adapter *adapter = netdev_priv(netdev);
 	int hw_lro;
 
-	if (data & ~ETH_FLAG_LRO)
+	if (ethtool_invalid_flags(netdev, data, ETH_FLAG_LRO))
 		return -EINVAL;
 
 	if (!(adapter->capabilities & NX_FW_CAPABILITY_HW_LRO))
diff --git a/drivers/net/qlcnic/qlcnic_ethtool.c b/drivers/net/qlcnic/qlcnic_ethtool.c
index 4c14510..45b2755 100644
--- a/drivers/net/qlcnic/qlcnic_ethtool.c
+++ b/drivers/net/qlcnic/qlcnic_ethtool.c
@@ -1003,7 +1003,7 @@ static int qlcnic_set_flags(struct net_device *netdev, u32 data)
 	struct qlcnic_adapter *adapter = netdev_priv(netdev);
 	int hw_lro;
 
-	if (data & ~ETH_FLAG_LRO)
+	if (ethtool_invalid_flags(netdev, data, ETH_FLAG_LRO))
 		return -EINVAL;
 
 	if (!(adapter->capabilities & QLCNIC_FW_CAPABILITY_HW_LRO))
diff --git a/drivers/net/s2io.c b/drivers/net/s2io.c
index 2ad6364..356e74d 100644
--- a/drivers/net/s2io.c
+++ b/drivers/net/s2io.c
@@ -6726,7 +6726,7 @@ static int s2io_ethtool_set_flags(struct net_device *dev, u32 data)
 	int rc = 0;
 	int changed = 0;
 
-	if (data & ~ETH_FLAG_LRO)
+	if (ethtool_invalid_flags(dev, data, ETH_FLAG_LRO))
 		return -EINVAL;
 
 	if (data & ETH_FLAG_LRO) {
diff --git a/drivers/net/vmxnet3/vmxnet3_ethtool.c b/drivers/net/vmxnet3/vmxnet3_ethtool.c
index 81254be..51f2ef1 100644
--- a/drivers/net/vmxnet3/vmxnet3_ethtool.c
+++ b/drivers/net/vmxnet3/vmxnet3_ethtool.c
@@ -304,8 +304,8 @@ vmxnet3_set_flags(struct net_device *netdev, u32 data)
 	u8 lro_present = (netdev->features & NETIF_F_LRO) == 0 ? 0 : 1;
 	unsigned long flags;
 
-	if (data & ~ETH_FLAG_LRO)
-		return -EOPNOTSUPP;
+	if (ethtool_invalid_flags(netdev, data, ETH_FLAG_LRO))
+		return -EINVAL;
 
 	if (lro_requested ^ lro_present) {
 		/* toggle the LRO feature*/
diff --git a/drivers/net/vxge/vxge-ethtool.c b/drivers/net/vxge/vxge-ethtool.c
index 1dd3a21..c5eb034 100644
--- a/drivers/net/vxge/vxge-ethtool.c
+++ b/drivers/net/vxge/vxge-ethtool.c
@@ -1117,8 +1117,8 @@ static int vxge_set_flags(struct net_device *dev, u32 data)
 	struct vxgedev *vdev = netdev_priv(dev);
 	enum vxge_hw_status status;
 
-	if (data & ~ETH_FLAG_RXHASH)
-		return -EOPNOTSUPP;
+	if (ethtool_invalid_flags(dev, data, ETH_FLAG_RXHASH))
+		return -EINVAL;
 
 	if (!!(data & ETH_FLAG_RXHASH) == vdev->devh->config.rth_en)
 		return 0;
diff --git a/include/linux/ethtool.h b/include/linux/ethtool.h
index aac3e2e..e22b046 100644
--- a/include/linux/ethtool.h
+++ b/include/linux/ethtool.h
@@ -643,6 +643,7 @@ int ethtool_op_set_ufo(struct net_device *dev, u32 data);
 u32 ethtool_op_get_flags(struct net_device *dev);
 int ethtool_op_set_flags(struct net_device *dev, u32 data, u32 supported);
 void ethtool_ntuple_flush(struct net_device *dev);
+bool ethtool_invalid_flags(struct net_device *dev, u32 data, u32 supported);
 
 /**
  * &ethtool_ops - Alter and report network device settings
diff --git a/net/core/ethtool.c b/net/core/ethtool.c
index c1a71bb..25d1ea2 100644
--- a/net/core/ethtool.c
+++ b/net/core/ethtool.c
@@ -141,9 +141,24 @@ u32 ethtool_op_get_flags(struct net_device *dev)
 }
 EXPORT_SYMBOL(ethtool_op_get_flags);
 
+/* Check if device can enable (or disable) particular feature coded in "data"
+ * argument. Flags "supported" describe features that can be toggled by device.
+ * If feature can not be toggled, it state (enabled or disabled) must match
+ * hardcoded device features state, otherwise flags are marked as invalid.
+ */
+bool ethtool_invalid_flags(struct net_device *dev, u32 data, u32 supported)
+{
+	u32 features = dev->features & flags_dup_features;
+	/* "data" can contain only flags_dup_features bits,
+	 * see __ethtool_set_flags */
+
+	return (features & ~supported) != (data & ~supported);
+}
+EXPORT_SYMBOL(ethtool_invalid_flags);
+
 int ethtool_op_set_flags(struct net_device *dev, u32 data, u32 supported)
 {
-	if (data & ~supported)
+	if (ethtool_invalid_flags(dev, data, supported))
 		return -EINVAL;
 
 	dev->features = ((dev->features & ~flags_dup_features) |
