diff --git a/sys/dev/mlx5/mlx5_core/mlx5_main.c b/sys/dev/mlx5/mlx5_core/mlx5_main.c
index 0745d19b2725..aaa8f657432a 100644
--- a/sys/dev/mlx5/mlx5_core/mlx5_main.c
+++ b/sys/dev/mlx5/mlx5_core/mlx5_main.c
@@ -532,6 +532,17 @@ static int set_hca_ctrl(struct mlx5_core_dev *dev)
 	return err;
 }
 
+static int mlx5_core_set_hca_defaults(struct mlx5_core_dev *dev)
+{
+	int ret = 0;
+
+	/* Disable local_lb by default */
+	if (MLX5_CAP_GEN(dev, port_type) == MLX5_CAP_PORT_TYPE_ETH)
+		ret = mlx5_nic_vport_update_local_lb(dev, false);
+
+       return ret;
+}
+
 static int mlx5_core_enable_hca(struct mlx5_core_dev *dev, u16 func_id)
 {
 	u32 out[MLX5_ST_SZ_DW(enable_hca_out)] = {0};
@@ -1135,6 +1146,12 @@ static int mlx5_load_one(struct mlx5_core_dev *dev, struct mlx5_priv *priv,
 		goto err_free_comp_eqs;
 	}
 
+	err = mlx5_core_set_hca_defaults(dev);
+	if (err) {
+		mlx5_core_err(dev, "Failed to set HCA defaults %d\n", err);
+		goto err_free_comp_eqs;
+	}
+
 	err = mlx5_mpfs_init(dev);
 	if (err) {
 		mlx5_core_err(dev, "mpfs init failed %d\n", err);
diff --git a/sys/dev/mlx5/mlx5_en/mlx5_en_ethtool.c b/sys/dev/mlx5/mlx5_en/mlx5_en_ethtool.c
index d07aee1f0793..f57d70080a46 100644
--- a/sys/dev/mlx5/mlx5_en/mlx5_en_ethtool.c
+++ b/sys/dev/mlx5/mlx5_en/mlx5_en_ethtool.c
@@ -1230,6 +1230,12 @@ mlx5e_ethtool_handler(SYSCTL_HANDLER_ARGS)
 		break;
 
 	case MLX5_PARAM_OFFSET(mc_local_lb):
+		/* check if mlx5ib is managing this feature */
+		if (MLX5_CAP_GEN(priv->mdev, port_type) != MLX5_CAP_PORT_TYPE_ETH) {
+			error = EOPNOTSUPP;
+			break;
+		}
+
 		priv->params_ethtool.mc_local_lb =
 		    priv->params_ethtool.mc_local_lb ? 1 : 0;
 
@@ -1242,6 +1248,12 @@ mlx5e_ethtool_handler(SYSCTL_HANDLER_ARGS)
 		break;
 
 	case MLX5_PARAM_OFFSET(uc_local_lb):
+		/* check if mlx5ib is managing this feature */
+		if (MLX5_CAP_GEN(priv->mdev, port_type) != MLX5_CAP_PORT_TYPE_ETH) {
+			error = EOPNOTSUPP;
+			break;
+		}
+
 		priv->params_ethtool.uc_local_lb =
 		    priv->params_ethtool.uc_local_lb ? 1 : 0;
 
diff --git a/sys/dev/mlx5/mlx5_ib/mlx5_ib.h b/sys/dev/mlx5/mlx5_ib/mlx5_ib.h
index ba4b49f24831..316a45806966 100644
--- a/sys/dev/mlx5/mlx5_ib/mlx5_ib.h
+++ b/sys/dev/mlx5/mlx5_ib/mlx5_ib.h
@@ -795,6 +795,10 @@ struct mlx5_ib_dev {
 	struct mlx5_ib_congestion congestion;
 
 	struct mlx5_async_ctx	async_ctx;
+
+	/* protect the user_td */
+	struct mutex		lb_mutex;
+	u32			user_td;
 };
 
 static inline struct mlx5_ib_cq *to_mibcq(struct mlx5_core_cq *mcq)
diff --git a/sys/dev/mlx5/mlx5_ib/mlx5_ib_main.c b/sys/dev/mlx5/mlx5_ib/mlx5_ib_main.c
index 598a506b3b70..70a7fcd758de 100644
--- a/sys/dev/mlx5/mlx5_ib/mlx5_ib_main.c
+++ b/sys/dev/mlx5/mlx5_ib/mlx5_ib_main.c
@@ -1206,7 +1206,22 @@ static int mlx5_ib_alloc_transport_domain(struct mlx5_ib_dev *dev, u32 *tdn,
 	if (err)
 		return err;
 
-	return 0;
+	if ((MLX5_CAP_GEN(dev->mdev, port_type) != MLX5_CAP_PORT_TYPE_ETH) ||
+	    (!MLX5_CAP_GEN(dev->mdev, disable_local_lb_uc) &&
+	     !MLX5_CAP_GEN(dev->mdev, disable_local_lb_mc)))
+		return 0;
+
+	mutex_lock(&dev->lb_mutex);
+	dev->user_td++;
+
+	if (dev->user_td == 2)
+		err = mlx5_nic_vport_update_local_lb(dev->mdev, true);
+
+	mutex_unlock(&dev->lb_mutex);
+
+	if (err != 0)
+		mlx5_dealloc_transport_domain(dev->mdev, *tdn, uid);
+	return err;
 }
 
 static void mlx5_ib_dealloc_transport_domain(struct mlx5_ib_dev *dev, u32 tdn,
@@ -1216,6 +1231,19 @@ static void mlx5_ib_dealloc_transport_domain(struct mlx5_ib_dev *dev, u32 tdn,
 		return;
 
 	mlx5_dealloc_transport_domain(dev->mdev, tdn, uid);
+
+	if ((MLX5_CAP_GEN(dev->mdev, port_type) != MLX5_CAP_PORT_TYPE_ETH) ||
+	    (!MLX5_CAP_GEN(dev->mdev, disable_local_lb_uc) &&
+	     !MLX5_CAP_GEN(dev->mdev, disable_local_lb_mc)))
+		return;
+
+	mutex_lock(&dev->lb_mutex);
+	dev->user_td--;
+
+	if (dev->user_td < 2)
+		mlx5_nic_vport_update_local_lb(dev->mdev, false);
+
+	mutex_unlock(&dev->lb_mutex);
 }
 
 static int mlx5_ib_alloc_ucontext(struct ib_ucontext *uctx,
@@ -3284,6 +3312,8 @@ static void *mlx5_ib_add(struct mlx5_core_dev *mdev)
 
 	MLX5_INIT_DOORBELL_LOCK(&dev->uar_lock);
 
+	mutex_init(&dev->lb_mutex);
+
 	INIT_IB_DEVICE_OPS(&dev->ib_dev.ops, mlx5, MLX5);
 	snprintf(dev->ib_dev.name, IB_DEVICE_NAME_MAX, "mlx5_%d", device_get_unit(mdev->pdev->dev.bsddev));
 	dev->ib_dev.owner		= THIS_MODULE;