diff --git a/drivers/net/sfc/sfc.h b/drivers/net/sfc/sfc.h
index 7f11bf22d0..b72eba063b 100644
--- a/drivers/net/sfc/sfc.h
+++ b/drivers/net/sfc/sfc.h
@@ -158,6 +158,8 @@ struct sfc_port {
 	boolean_t			promisc;
 	boolean_t			allmulti;
 
+	struct ether_addr		default_mac_addr;
+
 	unsigned int			max_mcast_addrs;
 	unsigned int			nb_mcast_addrs;
 	uint8_t				*mcast_addrs;
diff --git a/drivers/net/sfc/sfc_ethdev.c b/drivers/net/sfc/sfc_ethdev.c
index 2f5f86f848..fabcc3293e 100644
--- a/drivers/net/sfc/sfc_ethdev.c
+++ b/drivers/net/sfc/sfc_ethdev.c
@@ -926,6 +926,12 @@ sfc_mac_addr_set(struct rte_eth_dev *dev, struct ether_addr *mac_addr)
 
 	sfc_adapter_lock(sa);
 
+	/*
+	 * Copy the address to the device private data so that
+	 * it could be recalled in the case of adapter restart.
+	 */
+	ether_addr_copy(mac_addr, &port->default_mac_addr);
+
 	if (port->isolated) {
 		sfc_err(sa, "isolated mode is active on the port");
 		sfc_err(sa, "will not set MAC address");
@@ -961,9 +967,9 @@ sfc_mac_addr_set(struct rte_eth_dev *dev, struct ether_addr *mac_addr)
 
 		/*
 		 * Since setting MAC address with filters installed is not
-		 * allowed on the adapter, one needs to simply restart adapter
-		 * so that the new MAC address will be taken from an outer
-		 * storage and set flawlessly by means of sfc_start() call
+		 * allowed on the adapter, the new MAC address will be set
+		 * by means of adapter restart. sfc_start() shall retrieve
+		 * the new address from the device private data and set it.
 		 */
 		sfc_stop(sa);
 		rc = sfc_start(sa);
@@ -972,6 +978,13 @@ sfc_mac_addr_set(struct rte_eth_dev *dev, struct ether_addr *mac_addr)
 	}
 
 unlock:
+	/*
+	 * In the case of failure sa->port->default_mac_addr does not
+	 * need rollback since no error code is returned, and the upper
+	 * API will anyway update the external MAC address storage.
+	 * To be consistent with that new value it is better to keep
+	 * the device private value the same.
+	 */
 	sfc_adapter_unlock(sa);
 }
 
diff --git a/drivers/net/sfc/sfc_port.c b/drivers/net/sfc/sfc_port.c
index 6cfd0e30f1..5254394c97 100644
--- a/drivers/net/sfc/sfc_port.c
+++ b/drivers/net/sfc/sfc_port.c
@@ -188,10 +188,10 @@ sfc_port_start(struct sfc_adapter *sa)
 		goto fail_mac_pdu_set;
 
 	if (!port->isolated) {
-		struct ether_addr *mac_addrs = sa->eth_dev->data->mac_addrs;
+		struct ether_addr *addr = &port->default_mac_addr;
 
 		sfc_log_init(sa, "set MAC address");
-		rc = efx_mac_addr_set(sa->nic, mac_addrs[0].addr_bytes);
+		rc = efx_mac_addr_set(sa->nic, addr->addr_bytes);
 		if (rc != 0)
 			goto fail_mac_addr_set;
 
@@ -342,6 +342,8 @@ int
 sfc_port_attach(struct sfc_adapter *sa)
 {
 	struct sfc_port *port = &sa->port;
+	const efx_nic_cfg_t *encp = efx_nic_cfg_get(sa->nic);
+	const struct ether_addr *from;
 	long kvarg_stats_update_period_ms;
 	int rc;
 
@@ -353,6 +355,10 @@ sfc_port_attach(struct sfc_adapter *sa)
 	port->flow_ctrl = EFX_FCNTL_RESPOND | EFX_FCNTL_GENERATE;
 	port->flow_ctrl_autoneg = B_TRUE;
 
+	RTE_BUILD_BUG_ON(sizeof(encp->enc_mac_addr) != sizeof(*from));
+	from = (const struct ether_addr *)(encp->enc_mac_addr);
+	ether_addr_copy(from, &port->default_mac_addr);
+
 	port->max_mcast_addrs = EFX_MAC_MULTICAST_LIST_MAX;
 	port->nb_mcast_addrs = 0;
 	port->mcast_addrs = rte_calloc_socket("mcast_addr_list_buf",