diff --git a/sys/dev/ixl/if_ixl.c b/sys/dev/ixl/if_ixl.c
--- a/sys/dev/ixl/if_ixl.c
+++ b/sys/dev/ixl/if_ixl.c
@@ -597,14 +597,14 @@
 	if (((pf->hw.aq.fw_maj_ver == 4) && (pf->hw.aq.fw_min_ver < 3)) ||
 	    (pf->hw.aq.fw_maj_ver < 4)) {
 		i40e_aq_stop_lldp(hw, true, false, NULL);
-		pf->state |= IXL_PF_STATE_FW_LLDP_DISABLED;
+		ixl_set_state(&pf->state, IXL_STATE_FW_LLDP_DISABLED);
 	}
 
 	/* Try enabling Energy Efficient Ethernet (EEE) mode */
 	if (i40e_enable_eee(hw, true) == I40E_SUCCESS)
-		atomic_set_32(&pf->state, IXL_PF_STATE_EEE_ENABLED);
+		ixl_set_state(&pf->state, IXL_STATE_EEE_ENABLED);
 	else
-		atomic_clear_32(&pf->state, IXL_PF_STATE_EEE_ENABLED);
+		ixl_clear_state(&pf->state, IXL_STATE_EEE_ENABLED);
 
 	/* Get MAC addresses from hardware */
 	i40e_get_mac_addr(hw, hw->mac.addr);
@@ -629,11 +629,11 @@
 	/* Query device FW LLDP status */
 	if (i40e_get_fw_lldp_status(hw, &lldp_status) == I40E_SUCCESS) {
 		if (lldp_status == I40E_GET_FW_LLDP_STATUS_DISABLED) {
-			atomic_set_32(&pf->state,
-			    IXL_PF_STATE_FW_LLDP_DISABLED);
+			ixl_set_state(&pf->state,
+			    IXL_STATE_FW_LLDP_DISABLED);
 		} else {
-			atomic_clear_32(&pf->state,
-			    IXL_PF_STATE_FW_LLDP_DISABLED);
+			ixl_clear_state(&pf->state,
+			    IXL_STATE_FW_LLDP_DISABLED);
 		}
 	}
 
@@ -772,7 +772,7 @@
 	 * Driver may have been reloaded. Ensure that the link state
 	 * is consistent with current settings.
 	 */
-	ixl_set_link(pf, (pf->state & IXL_PF_STATE_LINK_ACTIVE_ON_DOWN) != 0);
+	ixl_set_link(pf, ixl_test_state(&pf->state, IXL_STATE_LINK_ACTIVE_ON_DOWN));
 
 	hw->phy.get_link_info = true;
 	i40e_get_link_status(hw, &pf->link_up);
@@ -1032,8 +1032,7 @@
 	 * e.g. on MTU change.
 	 */
 	if ((if_getflags(ifp) & IFF_UP) == 0 &&
-	    (atomic_load_acq_32(&pf->state) &
-	    IXL_PF_STATE_LINK_ACTIVE_ON_DOWN) == 0)
+	    !ixl_test_state(&pf->state, IXL_STATE_LINK_ACTIVE_ON_DOWN))
 		ixl_set_link(pf, false);
 }
 
@@ -1417,7 +1416,7 @@
 	if (!i40e_check_asq_alive(&pf->hw))
 		return;
 
-	if (pf->state & IXL_PF_STATE_MDD_PENDING)
+	if (ixl_test_state(&pf->state, IXL_STATE_MDD_PENDING))
 		ixl_handle_mdd_event(pf);
 
 	ixl_process_adminq(pf, &pending);
diff --git a/sys/dev/ixl/ixl_pf.h b/sys/dev/ixl/ixl_pf.h
--- a/sys/dev/ixl/ixl_pf.h
+++ b/sys/dev/ixl/ixl_pf.h
@@ -76,26 +76,26 @@
 };
 
 /* Used in struct ixl_pf's state field */
-enum ixl_pf_state {
-	IXL_PF_STATE_RECOVERY_MODE	= (1 << 0),
-	IXL_PF_STATE_RESETTING		= (1 << 1),
-	IXL_PF_STATE_MDD_PENDING	= (1 << 2),
-	IXL_PF_STATE_PF_RESET_REQ	= (1 << 3),
-	IXL_PF_STATE_VF_RESET_REQ	= (1 << 4),
-	IXL_PF_STATE_PF_CRIT_ERR	= (1 << 5),
-	IXL_PF_STATE_CORE_RESET_REQ	= (1 << 6),
-	IXL_PF_STATE_GLOB_RESET_REQ	= (1 << 7),
-	IXL_PF_STATE_EMP_RESET_REQ	= (1 << 8),
-	IXL_PF_STATE_FW_LLDP_DISABLED	= (1 << 9),
-	IXL_PF_STATE_EEE_ENABLED	= (1 << 10),
-	IXL_PF_STATE_LINK_ACTIVE_ON_DOWN = (1 << 11),
+enum ixl_state {
+	IXL_STATE_RECOVERY_MODE	= 0,
+	IXL_STATE_RESETTING		= 1,
+	IXL_STATE_MDD_PENDING	= 2,
+	IXL_STATE_PF_RESET_REQ	= 3,
+	IXL_STATE_VF_RESET_REQ	= 4,
+	IXL_STATE_PF_CRIT_ERR	= 5,
+	IXL_STATE_CORE_RESET_REQ	= 6,
+	IXL_STATE_GLOB_RESET_REQ	= 7,
+	IXL_STATE_EMP_RESET_REQ	= 8,
+	IXL_STATE_FW_LLDP_DISABLED	= 9,
+	IXL_STATE_EEE_ENABLED	= 10,
+	IXL_STATE_LINK_ACTIVE_ON_DOWN = 11,
 };
 
 #define IXL_PF_IN_RECOVERY_MODE(pf)	\
-	((atomic_load_acq_32(&pf->state) & IXL_PF_STATE_RECOVERY_MODE) != 0)
+	ixl_test_state(&pf->state, IXL_STATE_RECOVERY_MODE)
 
 #define IXL_PF_IS_RESETTING(pf)	\
-	((atomic_load_acq_32(&pf->state) & IXL_PF_STATE_RESETTING) != 0)
+	ixl_test_state(&pf->state, IXL_STATE_RESETTING)
 
 struct ixl_vf {
 	struct ixl_vsi		vsi;
@@ -284,6 +284,10 @@
 #define ixl_dbg_iov(pf, s, ...) ixl_debug_core((pf)->dev, (pf)->dbg_mask, IXL_DBG_IOV, s, ##__VA_ARGS__)
 
 /* PF-only function declarations */
+void	ixl_set_state(volatile u32 *s, enum ixl_state bit);
+void	ixl_clear_state(volatile u32 *s, enum ixl_state bit);
+bool	ixl_test_state(volatile u32 *s, enum ixl_state bit);
+u32	ixl_testandset_state(volatile u32 *s, enum ixl_state bit);
 int	ixl_setup_interface(device_t, struct ixl_pf *);
 void	ixl_print_nvm_cmd(device_t, struct i40e_nvm_access *);
 
diff --git a/sys/dev/ixl/ixl_pf_iflib.c b/sys/dev/ixl/ixl_pf_iflib.c
--- a/sys/dev/ixl/ixl_pf_iflib.c
+++ b/sys/dev/ixl/ixl_pf_iflib.c
@@ -158,7 +158,7 @@
 
 	if (reg & I40E_PFINT_ICR0_MAL_DETECT_MASK) {
 		mask &= ~I40E_PFINT_ICR0_ENA_MAL_DETECT_MASK;
-		atomic_set_32(&pf->state, IXL_PF_STATE_MDD_PENDING);
+		ixl_set_state(&pf->state, IXL_STATE_MDD_PENDING);
 		do_task = TRUE;
 	}
 
@@ -185,7 +185,7 @@
 		}
 		device_printf(dev, "Reset Requested! (%s)\n", reset_type);
 		/* overload admin queue task to check reset progress */
-		atomic_set_int(&pf->state, IXL_PF_STATE_RESETTING);
+		ixl_set_state(&pf->state, IXL_STATE_RESETTING);
 		do_task = TRUE;
 	}
 
@@ -202,8 +202,8 @@
 	/* Checks against the conditions above */
 	if (reg & IXL_ICR0_CRIT_ERR_MASK) {
 		mask &= ~IXL_ICR0_CRIT_ERR_MASK;
-		atomic_set_32(&pf->state,
-		    IXL_PF_STATE_PF_RESET_REQ | IXL_PF_STATE_PF_CRIT_ERR);
+		ixl_set_state(&pf->state,
+		    IXL_STATE_PF_RESET_REQ | IXL_STATE_PF_CRIT_ERR);
 		do_task = TRUE;
 	}
 
@@ -1037,11 +1037,11 @@
 	/* Query device FW LLDP status */
 	if (i40e_get_fw_lldp_status(hw, &lldp_status) == I40E_SUCCESS) {
 		if (lldp_status == I40E_GET_FW_LLDP_STATUS_DISABLED) {
-			atomic_set_32(&pf->state,
-			    IXL_PF_STATE_FW_LLDP_DISABLED);
+			ixl_set_state(&pf->state,
+			    IXL_STATE_FW_LLDP_DISABLED);
 		} else {
-			atomic_clear_32(&pf->state,
-			    IXL_PF_STATE_FW_LLDP_DISABLED);
+			ixl_clear_state(&pf->state,
+			    IXL_STATE_FW_LLDP_DISABLED);
 		}
 	}
 
diff --git a/sys/dev/ixl/ixl_pf_main.c b/sys/dev/ixl/ixl_pf_main.c
--- a/sys/dev/ixl/ixl_pf_main.c
+++ b/sys/dev/ixl/ixl_pf_main.c
@@ -116,6 +116,71 @@
        "None"
 };
 
+/* Functions for setting and checking driver state. Note the functions take
+ * bit positions, not bitmasks. The atomic_set_32 and atomic_clear_32
+ * operations require bitmasks. This can easily lead to programming error, so
+ * we provide wrapper functions to avoid this.
+ */
+
+/**
+ * ixl_set_state - Set the specified state
+ * @s: the state bitmap
+ * @bit: the state to set
+ *
+ * Atomically update the state bitmap with the specified bit set.
+ */
+inline void
+ixl_set_state(volatile u32 *s, enum ixl_state bit)
+{
+	/* atomic_set_32 expects a bitmask */
+	atomic_set_32(s, BIT(bit));
+}
+
+/**
+ * ixl_clear_state - Clear the specified state
+ * @s: the state bitmap
+ * @bit: the state to clear
+ *
+ * Atomically update the state bitmap with the specified bit cleared.
+ */
+inline void
+ixl_clear_state(volatile u32 *s, enum ixl_state bit)
+{
+	/* atomic_clear_32 expects a bitmask */
+	atomic_clear_32(s, BIT(bit));
+}
+
+/**
+ * ixl_test_state - Test the specified state
+ * @s: the state bitmap
+ * @bit: the bit to test
+ *
+ * Return true if the state is set, false otherwise. Use this only if the flow
+ * does not need to update the state. If you must update the state as well,
+ * prefer ixl_testandset_state.
+ */
+inline bool
+ixl_test_state(volatile u32 *s, enum ixl_state bit)
+{
+	return !!(*s & BIT(bit));
+}
+
+/**
+ * ixl_testandset_state - Test and set the specified state
+ * @s: the state bitmap
+ * @bit: the bit to test
+ *
+ * Atomically update the state bitmap, setting the specified bit. Returns the
+ * previous value of the bit.
+ */
+inline u32
+ixl_testandset_state(volatile u32 *s, enum ixl_state bit)
+{
+	/* atomic_testandset_32 expects a bit position, as opposed to bitmask
+	expected by other atomic functions */
+	return atomic_testandset_32(s, bit);
+}
+
 MALLOC_DEFINE(M_IXL, "ixl", "ixl driver allocations");
 
 /*
@@ -210,7 +275,7 @@
 	fw_mode = ixl_get_fw_mode(pf);
 	ixl_dbg_info(pf, "%s: before PF reset FW mode: 0x%08x\n", __func__, fw_mode);
 	if (fw_mode == IXL_FW_MODE_RECOVERY) {
-		atomic_set_32(&pf->state, IXL_PF_STATE_RECOVERY_MODE);
+		ixl_set_state(&pf->state, IXL_STATE_RECOVERY_MODE);
 		/* Don't try to reset device if it's in recovery mode */
 		return (0);
 	}
@@ -224,7 +289,7 @@
 	fw_mode = ixl_get_fw_mode(pf);
 	ixl_dbg_info(pf, "%s: after PF reset FW mode: 0x%08x\n", __func__, fw_mode);
 	if (fw_mode == IXL_FW_MODE_RECOVERY) {
-		atomic_set_32(&pf->state, IXL_PF_STATE_RECOVERY_MODE);
+		ixl_set_state(&pf->state, IXL_STATE_RECOVERY_MODE);
 		return (0);
 	}
 
@@ -387,7 +452,7 @@
 	}
 
 	/* Keep link active by default */
-	atomic_set_32(&pf->state, IXL_PF_STATE_LINK_ACTIVE_ON_DOWN);
+	ixl_set_state(&pf->state, IXL_STATE_LINK_ACTIVE_ON_DOWN);
 
 	/* Print a subset of the capability information. */
 	device_printf(dev,
@@ -1869,7 +1934,7 @@
 	ixl_handle_tx_mdd_event(pf);
 	ixl_handle_rx_mdd_event(pf);
 
-	atomic_clear_32(&pf->state, IXL_PF_STATE_MDD_PENDING);
+	ixl_clear_state(&pf->state, IXL_STATE_MDD_PENDING);
 
 	/* re-enable mdd interrupt cause */
 	reg = rd32(hw, I40E_PFINT_ICR0_ENA);
@@ -1937,7 +2002,7 @@
 
 	if (!IXL_PF_IN_RECOVERY_MODE(pf) &&
 	    ixl_get_fw_mode(pf) == IXL_FW_MODE_RECOVERY) {
-		atomic_set_32(&pf->state, IXL_PF_STATE_RECOVERY_MODE);
+		ixl_set_state(&pf->state, IXL_STATE_RECOVERY_MODE);
 		device_printf(pf->dev,
 		    "Firmware recovery mode detected. Limiting functionality. Refer to Intel(R) Ethernet Adapters and Devices User Guide for details on firmware recovery mode.\n");
 		pf->link_up = FALSE;
@@ -1946,7 +2011,7 @@
 
 	ixl_rebuild_hw_structs_after_reset(pf, is_up);
 
-	atomic_clear_32(&pf->state, IXL_PF_STATE_RESETTING);
+	ixl_clear_state(&pf->state, IXL_STATE_RESETTING);
 }
 
 void
@@ -4453,7 +4518,7 @@
 		}
 	}
 
-	atomic_clear_32(&pf->state, IXL_PF_STATE_FW_LLDP_DISABLED);
+	ixl_clear_state(&pf->state, IXL_STATE_FW_LLDP_DISABLED);
 	return (0);
 }
 
@@ -4490,7 +4555,7 @@
 	}
 
 	i40e_aq_set_dcb_parameters(hw, true, NULL);
-	atomic_set_32(&pf->state, IXL_PF_STATE_FW_LLDP_DISABLED);
+	ixl_set_state(&pf->state, IXL_STATE_FW_LLDP_DISABLED);
 	return (0);
 }
 
@@ -4500,7 +4565,7 @@
 	struct ixl_pf *pf = (struct ixl_pf *)arg1;
 	int state, new_state, error = 0;
 
-	state = new_state = ((pf->state & IXL_PF_STATE_FW_LLDP_DISABLED) == 0);
+	state = new_state = !ixl_test_state(&pf->state, IXL_STATE_FW_LLDP_DISABLED);
 
 	/* Read in new mode */
 	error = sysctl_handle_int(oidp, &new_state, 0, req);
@@ -4526,7 +4591,7 @@
 	enum i40e_status_code cmd_status;
 
 	/* Init states' values */
-	state = new_state = (!!(pf->state & IXL_PF_STATE_EEE_ENABLED));
+	state = new_state = ixl_test_state(&pf->state, IXL_STATE_EEE_ENABLED);
 
 	/* Get requested mode */
 	sysctl_handle_status = sysctl_handle_int(oidp, &new_state, 0, req);
@@ -4543,9 +4608,9 @@
 	/* Save new state or report error */
 	if (!cmd_status) {
 		if (new_state == 0)
-			atomic_clear_32(&pf->state, IXL_PF_STATE_EEE_ENABLED);
+			ixl_clear_state(&pf->state, IXL_STATE_EEE_ENABLED);
 		else
-			atomic_set_32(&pf->state, IXL_PF_STATE_EEE_ENABLED);
+			ixl_set_state(&pf->state, IXL_STATE_EEE_ENABLED);
 	} else if (cmd_status == I40E_ERR_CONFIG)
 		return (EPERM);
 	else
@@ -4560,17 +4625,16 @@
 	struct ixl_pf *pf = (struct ixl_pf *)arg1;
 	int error, state;
 
-	state = !!(atomic_load_acq_32(&pf->state) &
-	    IXL_PF_STATE_LINK_ACTIVE_ON_DOWN);
+	state = ixl_test_state(&pf->state, IXL_STATE_LINK_ACTIVE_ON_DOWN);
 
 	error = sysctl_handle_int(oidp, &state, 0, req);
 	if ((error) || (req->newptr == NULL))
 		return (error);
 
 	if (state == 0)
-		atomic_clear_32(&pf->state, IXL_PF_STATE_LINK_ACTIVE_ON_DOWN);
+		ixl_clear_state(&pf->state, IXL_STATE_LINK_ACTIVE_ON_DOWN);
 	else
-		atomic_set_32(&pf->state, IXL_PF_STATE_LINK_ACTIVE_ON_DOWN);
+		ixl_set_state(&pf->state, IXL_STATE_LINK_ACTIVE_ON_DOWN);
 
 	return (0);
 }
@@ -4617,7 +4681,7 @@
 		return (error);
 
 	/* Initiate the PF reset later in the admin task */
-	atomic_set_32(&pf->state, IXL_PF_STATE_PF_RESET_REQ);
+	ixl_set_state(&pf->state, IXL_STATE_PF_RESET_REQ);
 
 	return (error);
 }