diff --git a/sys/dev/nge/if_nge.c b/sys/dev/nge/if_nge.c
index 798702c2849..50f807a75dd 100644
--- a/sys/dev/nge/if_nge.c
+++ b/sys/dev/nge/if_nge.c
@@ -888,7 +888,8 @@ nge_attach(dev)
 	ifp->if_softc = sc;
 	if_initname(ifp, device_get_name(dev), device_get_unit(dev));
 	ifp->if_mtu = ETHERMTU;
-	ifp->if_flags = IFF_BROADCAST | IFF_SIMPLEX | IFF_MULTICAST;
+	ifp->if_flags = IFF_BROADCAST | IFF_SIMPLEX | IFF_MULTICAST |
+	    IFF_NEEDSGIANT;
 	ifp->if_ioctl = nge_ioctl;
 	ifp->if_start = nge_start;
 	ifp->if_watchdog = nge_watchdog;