diff --git a/drivers/net/ethernet/marvell/octeontx2/nic/cn10k_macsec.c b/drivers/net/ethernet/marvell/octeontx2/nic/cn10k_macsec.c
index 702cf07490e7..9524d38f1582 100644
--- a/drivers/net/ethernet/marvell/octeontx2/nic/cn10k_macsec.c
+++ b/drivers/net/ethernet/marvell/octeontx2/nic/cn10k_macsec.c
@@ -1777,11 +1777,16 @@ int cn10k_mcs_init(struct otx2_nic *pfvf)
 
 void cn10k_mcs_free(struct otx2_nic *pfvf)
 {
+	struct cn10k_mcs_cfg *cfg = pfvf->macsec_cfg;
+
 	if (!test_bit(CN10K_HW_MACSEC, &pfvf->hw.cap_flag))
 		return;
 
-	cn10k_mcs_free_rsrc(pfvf, MCS_TX, MCS_RSRC_TYPE_SECY, 0, true);
-	cn10k_mcs_free_rsrc(pfvf, MCS_RX, MCS_RSRC_TYPE_SECY, 0, true);
+	if (!list_empty(&cfg->txsc_list)) {
+		cn10k_mcs_free_rsrc(pfvf, MCS_TX, MCS_RSRC_TYPE_SECY, 0, true);
+		cn10k_mcs_free_rsrc(pfvf, MCS_RX, MCS_RSRC_TYPE_SECY, 0, true);
+	}
+
 	kfree(pfvf->macsec_cfg);
 	pfvf->macsec_cfg = NULL;
 }