diff --git a/sys/dev/xe/if_xe.c b/sys/dev/xe/if_xe.c
index e47d8d2d03c0..c60fa0a60399 100644
--- a/sys/dev/xe/if_xe.c
+++ b/sys/dev/xe/if_xe.c
@@ -233,7 +233,8 @@ xe_attach (device_t dev)
   scp->ifp->if_softc = scp;
   if_initname(scp->ifp, device_get_name(dev), device_get_unit(dev));
   scp->ifp->if_timer = 0;
-  scp->ifp->if_flags = (IFF_BROADCAST | IFF_SIMPLEX | IFF_MULTICAST);
+  scp->ifp->if_flags = (IFF_BROADCAST | IFF_SIMPLEX | IFF_MULTICAST |
+    IFF_NEEDSGIANT);
   scp->ifp->if_linkmib = &scp->mibdata;
   scp->ifp->if_linkmiblen = sizeof scp->mibdata;
   scp->ifp->if_start = xe_start;