diff --git a/drivers/net/virtio/virtio_rxtx.c b/drivers/net/virtio/virtio_rxtx.c
index b5fc4ecbe1..405c313f20 100644
--- a/drivers/net/virtio/virtio_rxtx.c
+++ b/drivers/net/virtio/virtio_rxtx.c
@@ -929,7 +929,7 @@ virtio_dev_rx_queue_setup(struct rte_eth_dev *dev,
 			uint16_t queue_idx,
 			uint16_t nb_desc,
 			unsigned int socket_id __rte_unused,
-			const struct rte_eth_rxconf *rx_conf __rte_unused,
+			const struct rte_eth_rxconf *rx_conf,
 			struct rte_mempool *mp)
 {
 	uint16_t vtpci_queue_idx = 2 * queue_idx + VTNET_SQ_RQ_QUEUE_IDX;
@@ -939,6 +939,11 @@ virtio_dev_rx_queue_setup(struct rte_eth_dev *dev,
 
 	PMD_INIT_FUNC_TRACE();
 
+	if (rx_conf->rx_deferred_start) {
+		PMD_INIT_LOG(ERR, "Rx deferred start is not supported");
+		return -EINVAL;
+	}
+
 	if (nb_desc == 0 || nb_desc > vq->vq_nentries)
 		nb_desc = vq->vq_nentries;
 	vq->vq_free_cnt = RTE_MIN(vq->vq_free_cnt, nb_desc);