diff --git a/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/i40e/i40e_main.c b/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/i40e/i40e_main.c
index 3ccc248b1a8a..b44ba7341483 100644
--- a/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/i40e/i40e_main.c
+++ b/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/i40e/i40e_main.c
@@ -110,12 +110,18 @@ static struct workqueue_struct *i40e_wq;
 static void netdev_hw_addr_refcnt(struct i40e_mac_filter *f,
 				  struct net_device *netdev, int delta)
 {
+	struct netdev_hw_addr_list *ha_list;
 	struct netdev_hw_addr *ha;
 
 	if (!f || !netdev)
 		return;
 
-	netdev_for_each_mc_addr(ha, netdev) {
+	if (is_unicast_ether_addr(f->macaddr) || is_link_local_ether_addr(f->macaddr))
+		ha_list = &netdev->uc;
+	else
+		ha_list = &netdev->mc;
+
+	netdev_hw_addr_list_for_each(ha, ha_list) {
 		if (ether_addr_equal(ha->addr, f->macaddr)) {
 			ha->refcount += delta;
 			if (ha->refcount <= 0)