--- sys/dev/e1000/e1000_osdep.h	(revision 353336)
+++ sys/dev/e1000/e1000_osdep.h	(working copy)
@@ -82,7 +82,7 @@ 
 
 static inline void
 safe_pause_us(int x) {
-	if (cold) {
+	if (cold || in_epoch(net_epoch_preempt)) {
 		DELAY(x);
 	} else {
 		pause("e1000_delay", max(1,  x/(1000000/hz)));
@@ -91,7 +91,7 @@ 
 
 static inline void
 safe_pause_ms(int x) {
-	if (cold) {
+	if (cold || in_epoch(net_epoch_preempt)) {
 		DELAY(x*1000);
 	} else {
 		pause("e1000_delay", ms_scale(x));