diff --git a/hw/net/vmxnet3.c b/hw/net/vmxnet3.c
index 81ab131e4a47..a3ed77f04b7c 100644
--- a/hw/net/vmxnet3.c
+++ b/hw/net/vmxnet3.c
@@ -281,8 +281,6 @@ typedef struct {
         Vmxnet3RxqDescr rxq_descr[VMXNET3_DEVICE_MAX_RX_QUEUES];
         Vmxnet3TxqDescr txq_descr[VMXNET3_DEVICE_MAX_TX_QUEUES];
 
-        /* Whether MSI-X support was installed successfully */
-        bool msix_used;
         hwaddr drv_shmem;
         hwaddr temp_shared_guest_driver_memory;
 
@@ -359,7 +357,7 @@ static bool _vmxnet3_assert_interrupt_line(VMXNET3State *s, uint32_t int_idx)
 {
     PCIDevice *d = PCI_DEVICE(s);
 
-    if (s->msix_used && msix_enabled(d)) {
+    if (msix_enabled(d)) {
         VMW_IRPRN("Sending MSI-X notification for vector %u", int_idx);
         msix_notify(d, int_idx);
         return false;
@@ -383,7 +381,7 @@ static void _vmxnet3_deassert_interrupt_line(VMXNET3State *s, int lidx)
      * This function should never be called for MSI(X) interrupts
      * because deassertion never required for message interrupts
      */
-    assert(!s->msix_used || !msix_enabled(d));
+    assert(!msix_enabled(d));
     /*
      * This function should never be called for MSI(X) interrupts
      * because deassertion never required for message interrupts
@@ -421,7 +419,7 @@ static void vmxnet3_trigger_interrupt(VMXNET3State *s, int lidx)
     s->interrupt_states[lidx].is_pending = true;
     vmxnet3_update_interrupt_line_state(s, lidx);
 
-    if (s->msix_used && msix_enabled(d) && s->auto_int_masking) {
+    if (msix_enabled(d) && s->auto_int_masking) {
         goto do_automask;
     }
 
@@ -1428,7 +1426,7 @@ static void vmxnet3_update_features(VMXNET3State *s)
 
 static bool vmxnet3_verify_intx(VMXNET3State *s, int intx)
 {
-    return s->msix_used || msi_enabled(PCI_DEVICE(s))
+    return msix_enabled(PCI_DEVICE(s)) || msi_enabled(PCI_DEVICE(s))
         || intx == pci_get_byte(s->parent_obj.config + PCI_INTERRUPT_PIN) - 1;
 }
 
@@ -1445,18 +1443,18 @@ static void vmxnet3_validate_interrupts(VMXNET3State *s)
     int i;
 
     VMW_CFPRN("Verifying event interrupt index (%d)", s->event_int_idx);
-    vmxnet3_validate_interrupt_idx(s->msix_used, s->event_int_idx);
+    vmxnet3_validate_interrupt_idx(msix_enabled(PCI_DEVICE(s)), s->event_int_idx);
 
     for (i = 0; i < s->txq_num; i++) {
         int idx = s->txq_descr[i].intr_idx;
         VMW_CFPRN("Verifying TX queue %d interrupt index (%d)", i, idx);
-        vmxnet3_validate_interrupt_idx(s->msix_used, idx);
+        vmxnet3_validate_interrupt_idx(msix_enabled(PCI_DEVICE(s)), idx);
     }
 
     for (i = 0; i < s->rxq_num; i++) {
         int idx = s->rxq_descr[i].intr_idx;
         VMW_CFPRN("Verifying RX queue %d interrupt index (%d)", i, idx);
-        vmxnet3_validate_interrupt_idx(s->msix_used, idx);
+        vmxnet3_validate_interrupt_idx(msix_enabled(PCI_DEVICE(s)), idx);
     }
 }
 
@@ -2185,6 +2183,7 @@ vmxnet3_use_msix_vectors(VMXNET3State *s, int num_vectors)
 static bool
 vmxnet3_init_msix(VMXNET3State *s)
 {
+    bool msix;
     PCIDevice *d = PCI_DEVICE(s);
     int res = msix_init(d, VMXNET3_MAX_INTRS,
                         &s->msix_bar,
@@ -2194,18 +2193,19 @@ vmxnet3_init_msix(VMXNET3State *s)
                         VMXNET3_MSIX_OFFSET(s), NULL);
 
     if (0 > res) {
-        VMW_WRPRN("Failed to initialize MSI-X, error %d", res);
-        s->msix_used = false;
+        VMW_WRPRN("Failed to initialize MSI-X, board's MSI support is broken");
+        msix = false;
     } else {
         if (!vmxnet3_use_msix_vectors(s, VMXNET3_MAX_INTRS)) {
             VMW_WRPRN("Failed to use MSI-X vectors, error %d", res);
             msix_uninit(d, &s->msix_bar, &s->msix_bar);
-            s->msix_used = false;
+            msix = false;
         } else {
-            s->msix_used = true;
+            msix = true;
         }
     }
-    return s->msix_used;
+
+    return msix;
 }
 
 static void
@@ -2213,7 +2213,7 @@ vmxnet3_cleanup_msix(VMXNET3State *s)
 {
     PCIDevice *d = PCI_DEVICE(s);
 
-    if (s->msix_used) {
+    if (msix_enabled(d)) {
         vmxnet3_unuse_msix_vectors(s, VMXNET3_MAX_INTRS);
         msix_uninit(d, &s->msix_bar, &s->msix_bar);
     }
