diff --git a/package/base-files/files/lib/network/config.sh b/package/base-files/files/lib/network/config.sh
index 37dc2085fb..32170bb274 100755
--- a/package/base-files/files/lib/network/config.sh
+++ b/package/base-files/files/lib/network/config.sh
@@ -170,8 +170,6 @@ prepare_interface() {
 					# result in another setup_interface() call, so we simply stop processing
 					# the current event at this point.
 				}
-
-				[ -n "$macaddr" ] && ifconfig "$iface" down 2>/dev/null >/dev/null
 				ifconfig "$iface" ${macaddr:+hw ether "${macaddr}"} up 2>/dev/null >/dev/null
 				return 1
 			}