Index: head/sys/dev/virtio/network/if_vtnet.c
===================================================================
--- head/sys/dev/virtio/network/if_vtnet.c
+++ head/sys/dev/virtio/network/if_vtnet.c
@@ -3473,6 +3473,7 @@
 		sc->vtnet_vlan_filter[idx] &= ~(1 << bit);
 
 	if (ifp->if_capenable & IFCAP_VLAN_HWFILTER &&
+	    ifp->if_drv_flags & IFF_DRV_RUNNING &&
 	    vtnet_exec_vlan_filter(sc, add, tag) != 0) {
 		device_printf(sc->vtnet_dev,
 		    "cannot %s VLAN %d %s the host filter table\n",