RTE_ETH_VALID_PORTID_OR_ERR_RET(port_id, -EINVAL);
 
        dev = &rte_eth_devices[port_id];
+       if (!dev->data->dev_started) {
+               RTE_PMD_DEBUG_TRACE(
+                   "port %d must be started before start any queue\n", port_id);
+               return -EINVAL;
+       }
+
        if (rx_queue_id >= dev->data->nb_rx_queues) {
                RTE_PMD_DEBUG_TRACE("Invalid RX queue_id=%d\n", rx_queue_id);
                return -EINVAL;
        RTE_ETH_VALID_PORTID_OR_ERR_RET(port_id, -EINVAL);
 
        dev = &rte_eth_devices[port_id];
+       if (!dev->data->dev_started) {
+               RTE_PMD_DEBUG_TRACE(
+                   "port %d must be started before start any queue\n", port_id);
+               return -EINVAL;
+       }
+
        if (tx_queue_id >= dev->data->nb_tx_queues) {
                RTE_PMD_DEBUG_TRACE("Invalid TX queue_id=%d\n", tx_queue_id);
                return -EINVAL;