diff --git a/drivers/net/ethernet/realtek/r8169_main.c b/drivers/net/ethernet/realtek/r8169_main.c
index ec157885da13..a9dcc98b6af1 100644
--- a/drivers/net/ethernet/realtek/r8169_main.c
+++ b/drivers/net/ethernet/realtek/r8169_main.c
@@ -5283,6 +5283,8 @@ static int rtl_init_one(struct pci_dev *pdev, const struct pci_device_id *ent)
 	dev->hw_features |= NETIF_F_RXALL;
 	dev->hw_features |= NETIF_F_RXFCS;
 
+	netdev_sw_irq_coalesce_default_on(dev);
+
 	/* configure chip for default features */
 	rtl8169_set_features(dev, dev->features);
 
diff --git a/include/linux/netdevice.h b/include/linux/netdevice.h
index 5aa35c58c342..f78db610ada5 100644
--- a/include/linux/netdevice.h
+++ b/include/linux/netdevice.h
@@ -78,6 +78,7 @@ struct xdp_buff;
 void synchronize_net(void);
 void netdev_set_default_ethtool_ops(struct net_device *dev,
 				    const struct ethtool_ops *ops);
+void netdev_sw_irq_coalesce_default_on(struct net_device *dev);
 
 /* Backlog congestion levels */
 #define NET_RX_SUCCESS		0	/* keep 'em coming, baby */
diff --git a/net/core/dev.c b/net/core/dev.c
index 7627c475d991..b76fb37b381e 100644
--- a/net/core/dev.c
+++ b/net/core/dev.c
@@ -10517,6 +10517,22 @@ void netdev_set_default_ethtool_ops(struct net_device *dev,
 }
 EXPORT_SYMBOL_GPL(netdev_set_default_ethtool_ops);
 
+/**
+ * netdev_sw_irq_coalesce_default_on() - enable SW IRQ coalescing by default
+ * @dev: netdev to enable the IRQ coalescing on
+ *
+ * Sets a conservative default for SW IRQ coalescing. Users can use
+ * sysfs attributes to override the default values.
+ */
+void netdev_sw_irq_coalesce_default_on(struct net_device *dev)
+{
+	WARN_ON(dev->reg_state == NETREG_REGISTERED);
+
+	dev->gro_flush_timeout = 20000;
+	dev->napi_defer_hard_irqs = 1;
+}
+EXPORT_SYMBOL_GPL(netdev_sw_irq_coalesce_default_on);
+
 void netdev_freemem(struct net_device *dev)
 {
 	char *addr = (char *)dev - dev->padded;