diff --git a/hw/net/xilinx_ethlite.c b/hw/net/xilinx_ethlite.c
index 67adecc088..3252c9d508 100644
--- a/hw/net/xilinx_ethlite.c
+++ b/hw/net/xilinx_ethlite.c
@@ -62,6 +62,8 @@
 
 typedef struct XlnxXpsEthLitePort {
     struct {
+        uint32_t tx_gie;
+
         uint32_t rx_ctrl;
     } reg;
 } XlnxXpsEthLitePort;
@@ -90,7 +92,7 @@ struct XlnxXpsEthLite
 static inline void eth_pulse_irq(XlnxXpsEthLite *s)
 {
     /* Only the first gie reg is active.  */
-    if (s->regs[R_TX_GIE0] & GIE_GIE) {
+    if (s->port[0].reg.tx_gie & GIE_GIE) {
         qemu_irq_pulse(s->irq);
     }
 }
@@ -126,6 +128,9 @@ eth_read(void *opaque, hwaddr addr, unsigned int size)
     switch (addr)
     {
         case R_TX_GIE0:
+            r = s->port[port_index].reg.tx_gie;
+            break;
+
         case R_TX_LEN0:
         case R_TX_LEN1:
         case R_TX_CTRL1:
@@ -190,10 +195,13 @@ eth_write(void *opaque, hwaddr addr,
 
         case R_TX_LEN0:
         case R_TX_LEN1:
-        case R_TX_GIE0:
             s->regs[addr] = value;
             break;
 
+        case R_TX_GIE0:
+            s->port[port_index].reg.tx_gie = value;
+            break;
+
         default:
             s->regs[addr] = tswap32(value);
             break;