diff --git a/drivers/net/can/dev.c b/drivers/net/can/dev.c
index 9bf47a064cdf..a4694aa20a3e 100644
--- a/drivers/net/can/dev.c
+++ b/drivers/net/can/dev.c
@@ -643,10 +643,14 @@ static int can_changelink(struct net_device *dev,
 		if (dev->flags & IFF_UP)
 			return -EBUSY;
 		cm = nla_data(data[IFLA_CAN_CTRLMODE]);
-		if (cm->flags & ~priv->ctrlmode_supported)
+
+		/* check whether changed bits are allowed to be modified */
+		if (cm->mask & ~priv->ctrlmode_supported)
 			return -EOPNOTSUPP;
+
+		/* clear bits to be modified and copy the flag values */
 		priv->ctrlmode &= ~cm->mask;
-		priv->ctrlmode |= cm->flags;
+		priv->ctrlmode |= (cm->flags & cm->mask);
 	}
 
 	if (data[IFLA_CAN_BITTIMING]) {