diff --git a/drivers/vfio/pci/vfio_pci_config.c b/drivers/vfio/pci/vfio_pci_config.c
index 5628fe114347..91335e6de88a 100644
--- a/drivers/vfio/pci/vfio_pci_config.c
+++ b/drivers/vfio/pci/vfio_pci_config.c
@@ -849,11 +849,13 @@ static int __init init_pci_cap_exp_perm(struct perm_bits *perm)
 
 	/*
 	 * Allow writes to device control fields, except devctl_phantom,
-	 * which could confuse IOMMU, and the ARI bit in devctl2, which
+	 * which could confuse IOMMU, MPS, which can break communication
+	 * with other physical devices, and the ARI bit in devctl2, which
 	 * is set at probe time.  FLR gets virtualized via our writefn.
 	 */
 	p_setw(perm, PCI_EXP_DEVCTL,
-	       PCI_EXP_DEVCTL_BCR_FLR, ~PCI_EXP_DEVCTL_PHANTOM);
+	       PCI_EXP_DEVCTL_BCR_FLR | PCI_EXP_DEVCTL_PAYLOAD,
+	       ~PCI_EXP_DEVCTL_PHANTOM);
 	p_setw(perm, PCI_EXP_DEVCTL2, NO_VIRT, ~PCI_EXP_DEVCTL2_ARI);
 	return 0;
 }