diff --git a/drivers/media/mc/mc-entity.c b/drivers/media/mc/mc-entity.c
index 737fc14e92dd..330d876f4194 100644
--- a/drivers/media/mc/mc-entity.c
+++ b/drivers/media/mc/mc-entity.c
@@ -1079,6 +1079,11 @@ media_create_pad_link(struct media_entity *source, u16 source_pad,
 	struct media_link *link;
 	struct media_link *backlink;
 
+	if (flags & MEDIA_LNK_FL_LINK_TYPE)
+		return -EINVAL;
+
+	flags |= MEDIA_LNK_FL_DATA_LINK;
+
 	if (WARN_ON(!source || !sink) ||
 	    WARN_ON(source_pad >= source->num_pads) ||
 	    WARN_ON(sink_pad >= sink->num_pads))
@@ -1094,7 +1099,7 @@ media_create_pad_link(struct media_entity *source, u16 source_pad,
 
 	link->source = &source->pads[source_pad];
 	link->sink = &sink->pads[sink_pad];
-	link->flags = flags & ~MEDIA_LNK_FL_INTERFACE_LINK;
+	link->flags = flags;
 
 	/* Initialize graph object embedded at the new link */
 	media_gobj_create(source->graph_obj.mdev, MEDIA_GRAPH_LINK,