diff --git a/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/i40e/i40e_txrx.c b/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/i40e/i40e_txrx.c
index 5e1a7dcb3f57..0d692ddfbc4f 100644
--- a/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/i40e/i40e_txrx.c
+++ b/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/i40e/i40e_txrx.c
@@ -923,6 +923,8 @@ int i40e_setup_tx_descriptors(struct i40e_ring *tx_ring)
 	if (!dev)
 		return -ENOMEM;
 
+	/* warn if we are about to overwrite the pointer */
+	WARN_ON(tx_ring->tx_bi);
 	bi_size = sizeof(struct i40e_tx_buffer) * tx_ring->count;
 	tx_ring->tx_bi = kzalloc(bi_size, GFP_KERNEL);
 	if (!tx_ring->tx_bi)
@@ -1083,6 +1085,8 @@ int i40e_setup_rx_descriptors(struct i40e_ring *rx_ring)
 	struct device *dev = rx_ring->dev;
 	int bi_size;
 
+	/* warn if we are about to overwrite the pointer */
+	WARN_ON(rx_ring->rx_bi);
 	bi_size = sizeof(struct i40e_rx_buffer) * rx_ring->count;
 	rx_ring->rx_bi = kzalloc(bi_size, GFP_KERNEL);
 	if (!rx_ring->rx_bi)