diff --git a/drivers/net/ethernet/chelsio/cxgb4/cxgb4.h b/drivers/net/ethernet/chelsio/cxgb4/cxgb4.h
index b7b0eb104430..dd6379809c74 100644
--- a/drivers/net/ethernet/chelsio/cxgb4/cxgb4.h
+++ b/drivers/net/ethernet/chelsio/cxgb4/cxgb4.h
@@ -885,6 +885,7 @@ struct vf_info {
 	unsigned int tx_rate;
 	bool pf_set_mac;
 	u16 vlan;
+	int link_state;
 };
 
 enum {
diff --git a/drivers/net/ethernet/chelsio/cxgb4/cxgb4_main.c b/drivers/net/ethernet/chelsio/cxgb4/cxgb4_main.c
index 1754ff794360..45093a620c3f 100644
--- a/drivers/net/ethernet/chelsio/cxgb4/cxgb4_main.c
+++ b/drivers/net/ethernet/chelsio/cxgb4/cxgb4_main.c
@@ -2740,6 +2740,7 @@ static int cxgb4_mgmt_get_vf_config(struct net_device *dev,
 	ivi->min_tx_rate = 0;
 	ether_addr_copy(ivi->mac, vfinfo->vf_mac_addr);
 	ivi->vlan = vfinfo->vlan;
+	ivi->linkstate = vfinfo->link_state;
 	return 0;
 }
 
@@ -2879,6 +2880,49 @@ static int cxgb4_mgmt_set_vf_vlan(struct net_device *dev, int vf,
 		ret, (vlan ? "setting" : "clearing"), adap->pf, vf);
 	return ret;
 }
+
+static int cxgb4_mgmt_set_vf_link_state(struct net_device *dev, int vf,
+					int link)
+{
+	struct port_info *pi = netdev_priv(dev);
+	struct adapter *adap = pi->adapter;
+	u32 param, val;
+	int ret = 0;
+
+	if (vf >= adap->num_vfs)
+		return -EINVAL;
+
+	switch (link) {
+	case IFLA_VF_LINK_STATE_AUTO:
+		val = FW_VF_LINK_STATE_AUTO;
+		break;
+
+	case IFLA_VF_LINK_STATE_ENABLE:
+		val = FW_VF_LINK_STATE_ENABLE;
+		break;
+
+	case IFLA_VF_LINK_STATE_DISABLE:
+		val = FW_VF_LINK_STATE_DISABLE;
+		break;
+
+	default:
+		return -EINVAL;
+	}
+
+	param = (FW_PARAMS_MNEM_V(FW_PARAMS_MNEM_PFVF) |
+		 FW_PARAMS_PARAM_X_V(FW_PARAMS_PARAM_PFVF_LINK_STATE));
+	ret = t4_set_params(adap, adap->mbox, adap->pf, vf + 1, 1,
+			    &param, &val);
+	if (ret) {
+		dev_err(adap->pdev_dev,
+			"Error %d in setting PF %d VF %d link state\n",
+			ret, adap->pf, vf);
+		return -EINVAL;
+	}
+
+	adap->vfinfo[vf].link_state = link;
+	return ret;
+}
 #endif /* CONFIG_PCI_IOV */
 
 static int cxgb_set_mac_addr(struct net_device *dev, void *p)
@@ -3294,12 +3338,13 @@ static const struct net_device_ops cxgb4_netdev_ops = {
 
 #ifdef CONFIG_PCI_IOV
 static const struct net_device_ops cxgb4_mgmt_netdev_ops = {
-	.ndo_open             = cxgb4_mgmt_open,
-	.ndo_set_vf_mac       = cxgb4_mgmt_set_vf_mac,
-	.ndo_get_vf_config    = cxgb4_mgmt_get_vf_config,
-	.ndo_set_vf_rate      = cxgb4_mgmt_set_vf_rate,
-	.ndo_get_phys_port_id = cxgb4_mgmt_get_phys_port_id,
-	.ndo_set_vf_vlan      = cxgb4_mgmt_set_vf_vlan,
+	.ndo_open               = cxgb4_mgmt_open,
+	.ndo_set_vf_mac         = cxgb4_mgmt_set_vf_mac,
+	.ndo_get_vf_config      = cxgb4_mgmt_get_vf_config,
+	.ndo_set_vf_rate        = cxgb4_mgmt_set_vf_rate,
+	.ndo_get_phys_port_id   = cxgb4_mgmt_get_phys_port_id,
+	.ndo_set_vf_vlan        = cxgb4_mgmt_set_vf_vlan,
+	.ndo_set_vf_link_state	= cxgb4_mgmt_set_vf_link_state,
 };
 #endif
 
diff --git a/drivers/net/ethernet/chelsio/cxgb4/t4fw_api.h b/drivers/net/ethernet/chelsio/cxgb4/t4fw_api.h
index 631f1663f4e0..b2a618e72fcf 100644
--- a/drivers/net/ethernet/chelsio/cxgb4/t4fw_api.h
+++ b/drivers/net/ethernet/chelsio/cxgb4/t4fw_api.h
@@ -1312,6 +1312,14 @@ enum fw_params_param_pfvf {
 	FW_PARAMS_PARAM_PFVF_RAWF_END = 0x37,
 	FW_PARAMS_PARAM_PFVF_NCRYPTO_LOOKASIDE = 0x39,
 	FW_PARAMS_PARAM_PFVF_PORT_CAPS32 = 0x3A,
+	FW_PARAMS_PARAM_PFVF_LINK_STATE = 0x40,
+};
+
+/* Virtual link state as seen by the specified VF */
+enum vf_link_states {
+	FW_VF_LINK_STATE_AUTO		= 0x00,
+	FW_VF_LINK_STATE_ENABLE		= 0x01,
+	FW_VF_LINK_STATE_DISABLE	= 0x02,
 };
 
 /*
diff --git a/drivers/net/ethernet/chelsio/cxgb4vf/cxgb4vf_main.c b/drivers/net/ethernet/chelsio/cxgb4vf/cxgb4vf_main.c
index 6b2754a574d6..62fd1250ff7e 100644
--- a/drivers/net/ethernet/chelsio/cxgb4vf/cxgb4vf_main.c
+++ b/drivers/net/ethernet/chelsio/cxgb4vf/cxgb4vf_main.c
@@ -155,6 +155,8 @@ void t4vf_os_link_changed(struct adapter *adapter, int pidx, int link_ok)
 		const char *fc;
 		const struct port_info *pi = netdev_priv(dev);
 
+		netif_carrier_on(dev);
+
 		switch (pi->link_cfg.speed) {
 		case 100:
 			s = "100Mbps";
@@ -200,6 +202,7 @@ void t4vf_os_link_changed(struct adapter *adapter, int pidx, int link_ok)
 
 		netdev_info(dev, "link up, %s, full-duplex, %s PAUSE\n", s, fc);
 	} else {
+		netif_carrier_off(dev);
 		netdev_info(dev, "link down\n");
 	}
 }
@@ -339,16 +342,6 @@ static int link_start(struct net_device *dev)
 	if (ret == 0)
 		ret = t4vf_enable_pi(pi->adapter, pi, true, true);
 
-	/* The Virtual Interfaces are connected to an internal switch on the
-	 * chip which allows VIs attached to the same port to talk to each
-	 * other even when the port link is down.  As a result, we generally
-	 * want to always report a VI's link as being "up", provided there are
-	 * no errors in enabling vi.
-	 */
-
-	if (ret == 0)
-		netif_carrier_on(dev);
-
 	return ret;
 }