diff --git a/drivers/net/ixgb/ixgb_main.c b/drivers/net/ixgb/ixgb_main.c
index 652c0ea..ecd5252 100644
--- a/drivers/net/ixgb/ixgb_main.c
+++ b/drivers/net/ixgb/ixgb_main.c
@@ -146,14 +146,6 @@
 module_param(debug, int, 0);
 MODULE_PARM_DESC(debug, "Debug level (0=none,...,16=all)");
 
-/* some defines for controlling descriptor fetches in h/w */
-#define RXDCTL_WTHRESH_DEFAULT 15  /* chip writes back at this many or RXT0 */
-#define RXDCTL_PTHRESH_DEFAULT 0   /* chip considers prefech below
-                                    * this */
-#define RXDCTL_HTHRESH_DEFAULT 0   /* chip will only prefetch if tail
-                                    * is pushed this many descriptors
-                                    * from head */
-
 /**
  * ixgb_init_module - Driver Registration Routine
  *
@@ -839,7 +831,6 @@
 	struct ixgb_hw *hw = &adapter->hw;
 	u32 rctl;
 	u32 rxcsum;
-	u32 rxdctl;
 
 	/* make sure receives are disabled while setting up the descriptors */
 
@@ -861,18 +852,12 @@
 	IXGB_WRITE_REG(hw, RDH, 0);
 	IXGB_WRITE_REG(hw, RDT, 0);
 
-	/* set up pre-fetching of receive buffers so we get some before we
-	 * run out (default hardware behavior is to run out before fetching
-	 * more).  This sets up to fetch if HTHRESH rx descriptors are avail
-	 * and the descriptors in hw cache are below PTHRESH.  This avoids
-	 * the hardware behavior of fetching <=512 descriptors in a single
-	 * burst that pre-empts all other activity, usually causing fifo
-	 * overflows. */
-	/* use WTHRESH to burst write 16 descriptors or burst when RXT0 */
-	rxdctl = RXDCTL_WTHRESH_DEFAULT << IXGB_RXDCTL_WTHRESH_SHIFT |
-	         RXDCTL_HTHRESH_DEFAULT << IXGB_RXDCTL_HTHRESH_SHIFT |
-	         RXDCTL_PTHRESH_DEFAULT << IXGB_RXDCTL_PTHRESH_SHIFT;
-	IXGB_WRITE_REG(hw, RXDCTL, rxdctl);
+	/* due to the hardware errata with RXDCTL, we are unable to use any of
+	 * the performance enhancing features of it without causing other
+	 * subtle bugs, some of the bugs could include receive length
+	 * corruption at high data rates (WTHRESH > 0) and/or receive
+	 * descriptor ring irregularites (particularly in hardware cache) */
+	IXGB_WRITE_REG(hw, RXDCTL, 0);
 
 	/* Enable Receive Checksum Offload for TCP and UDP */
 	if (adapter->rx_csum) {