diff --git a/hw/net/e1000e.c b/hw/net/e1000e.c
index bad43f474e..4994e1ca00 100644
--- a/hw/net/e1000e.c
+++ b/hw/net/e1000e.c
@@ -400,7 +400,7 @@ static void e1000e_write_config(PCIDevice *pci_dev, uint32_t address,
 
     if (range_covers_byte(address, len, PCI_COMMAND) &&
         (pci_dev->config[PCI_COMMAND] & PCI_COMMAND_MASTER)) {
-        qemu_flush_queued_packets(qemu_get_queue(s->nic));
+        e1000e_start_recv(&s->core);
     }
 }
 
diff --git a/hw/net/e1000e_core.c b/hw/net/e1000e_core.c
index 03e3c462f1..ea2a484e9e 100644
--- a/hw/net/e1000e_core.c
+++ b/hw/net/e1000e_core.c
@@ -953,7 +953,7 @@ e1000e_has_rxbufs(E1000ECore *core, const E1000E_RingInfo *r,
                          core->rx_desc_buf_size;
 }
 
-static inline void
+void
 e1000e_start_recv(E1000ECore *core)
 {
     int i;
diff --git a/hw/net/e1000e_core.h b/hw/net/e1000e_core.h
index 5f413a9e08..1ff6978ca1 100644
--- a/hw/net/e1000e_core.h
+++ b/hw/net/e1000e_core.h
@@ -144,3 +144,6 @@ e1000e_receive(E1000ECore *core, const uint8_t *buf, size_t size);
 
 ssize_t
 e1000e_receive_iov(E1000ECore *core, const struct iovec *iov, int iovcnt);
+
+void
+e1000e_start_recv(E1000ECore *core);