diff --git a/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/idpf/idpf_virtchnl.c b/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/idpf/idpf_virtchnl.c
index 03b371a6aa2b..1caf52706973 100644
--- a/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/idpf/idpf_virtchnl.c
+++ b/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/idpf/idpf_virtchnl.c
@@ -84,6 +84,13 @@ void idpf_recv_event_msg(struct libie_ctlq_ctx *ctx,
 	u32 event;
 
 	adapter = container_of(ctx, struct idpf_adapter, ctlq_ctx);
+	if (ctlq_msg->chnl_opcode != VIRTCHNL2_OP_EVENT) {
+		dev_dbg(&adapter->pdev->dev,
+			"Unhandled message with opcode %u from CP\n",
+			ctlq_msg->chnl_opcode);
+		goto free_rx_buf;
+	}
+
 	if (payload_size < sizeof(*v2e)) {
 		dev_err_ratelimited(&adapter->pdev->dev, "Failed to receive valid payload for event msg (op %d len %d)\n",
 				    ctlq_msg->chnl_opcode,