diff --git a/drivers/net/mlx5/mlx5.c b/drivers/net/mlx5/mlx5.c
index 3678aad859..90cc35e4be 100644
--- a/drivers/net/mlx5/mlx5.c
+++ b/drivers/net/mlx5/mlx5.c
@@ -668,6 +668,7 @@ mlx5_pci_probe(struct rte_pci_driver *pci_drv, struct rte_pci_device *pci_dev)
 		/* Bring Ethernet device up. */
 		DEBUG("forcing Ethernet interface up");
 		priv_set_flags(priv, ~IFF_UP, IFF_UP);
+		mlx5_link_update_unlocked(priv->dev, 1);
 		continue;
 
 port_error:
diff --git a/drivers/net/mlx5/mlx5.h b/drivers/net/mlx5/mlx5.h
index 9e8ac7e711..82172e4548 100644
--- a/drivers/net/mlx5/mlx5.h
+++ b/drivers/net/mlx5/mlx5.h
@@ -187,6 +187,7 @@ int priv_set_flags(struct priv *, unsigned int, unsigned int);
 int mlx5_dev_configure(struct rte_eth_dev *);
 void mlx5_dev_infos_get(struct rte_eth_dev *, struct rte_eth_dev_info *);
 const uint32_t *mlx5_dev_supported_ptypes_get(struct rte_eth_dev *dev);
+int mlx5_link_update_unlocked(struct rte_eth_dev *, int);
 int mlx5_link_update(struct rte_eth_dev *, int);
 int mlx5_dev_set_mtu(struct rte_eth_dev *, uint16_t);
 int mlx5_dev_get_flow_ctrl(struct rte_eth_dev *, struct rte_eth_fc_conf *);
diff --git a/drivers/net/mlx5/mlx5_ethdev.c b/drivers/net/mlx5/mlx5_ethdev.c
index 592d5c10e1..4eb533b16c 100644
--- a/drivers/net/mlx5/mlx5_ethdev.c
+++ b/drivers/net/mlx5/mlx5_ethdev.c
@@ -641,7 +641,7 @@ mlx5_dev_supported_ptypes_get(struct rte_eth_dev *dev)
  * @param wait_to_complete
  *   Wait for request completion (ignored).
  */
-static int
+int
 mlx5_link_update_unlocked(struct rte_eth_dev *dev, int wait_to_complete)
 {
 	struct priv *priv = mlx5_get_priv(dev);