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
@@ -466,7 +466,8 @@
 		}
 	}
 
-	/* Fire off the admin task */
+	/* Ensure that all events in Admin Receive Queue are processed */
+	ixl_set_state(&pf->state, IXL_STATE_ADMINQ_PENDING);
 	iflib_admin_intr_deferred(pf->vsi.ctx);
 
 	/* Reschedule the admin timer */
@@ -1423,6 +1424,9 @@
 
 	free(event.msg_buf, M_IXL);
 
+	if (*pending == 0)
+		ixl_clear_state(&pf->state, IXL_STATE_ADMINQ_PENDING);
+
 	/* Re-enable admin queue interrupt cause */
 	reg = rd32(hw, I40E_PFINT_ICR0_ENA);
 	reg |= I40E_PFINT_ICR0_ENA_ADMINQ_MASK;
@@ -1436,7 +1440,7 @@
 {
 	struct ixl_pf	*pf = iflib_get_softc(ctx);
 	struct i40e_hw	*hw = &pf->hw;
-	u16		pending;
+	u16 pending = 0;
 
 	if (IXL_PF_IS_RESETTING(pf))
 		ixl_handle_empr_reset(pf);
@@ -1452,7 +1456,9 @@
 	if (ixl_test_state(&pf->state, IXL_STATE_MDD_PENDING))
 		ixl_handle_mdd_event(pf);
 
-	ixl_process_adminq(pf, &pending);
+	if (ixl_test_state(&pf->state, IXL_STATE_ADMINQ_PENDING))
+		ixl_process_adminq(pf, &pending);
+
 	ixl_update_link_status(pf);
 
 	/*
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
@@ -89,6 +89,7 @@
 	IXL_STATE_EEE_ENABLED	= 10,
 	IXL_STATE_LINK_ACTIVE_ON_DOWN = 11,
 	IXL_STATE_LINK_POLLING = 12,
+	IXL_STATE_ADMINQ_PENDING = 13,
 };
 
 #define IXL_PF_IN_RECOVERY_MODE(pf)	\
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
@@ -152,6 +152,7 @@
 	/* Check on the cause */
 	if (reg & I40E_PFINT_ICR0_ADMINQ_MASK) {
 		mask &= ~I40E_PFINT_ICR0_ENA_ADMINQ_MASK;
+		ixl_set_state(&pf->state, IXL_STATE_ADMINQ_PENDING);
 		do_task = TRUE;
 	}