diff --git a/include/uapi/linux/ethtool.h b/include/uapi/linux/ethtool.h
index f4f23c3446c4..f709fcc6abeb 100644
--- a/include/uapi/linux/ethtool.h
+++ b/include/uapi/linux/ethtool.h
@@ -1376,7 +1376,7 @@ struct ethtool_per_queue_op {
 /**
  * struct ethtool_fecparam - Ethernet forward error correction(fec) parameters
  * @cmd: Command number = %ETHTOOL_GFECPARAM or %ETHTOOL_SFECPARAM
- * @active_fec: FEC mode which is active on the port
+ * @active_fec: FEC mode which is active on the port, GET only.
  * @fec: Bitmask of supported/configured FEC modes
  * @reserved: Reserved for future extensions, ignore on GET, write 0 for SET.
  */
diff --git a/net/ethtool/ioctl.c b/net/ethtool/ioctl.c
index a307506aa3ff..a76a7dab8be7 100644
--- a/net/ethtool/ioctl.c
+++ b/net/ethtool/ioctl.c
@@ -2509,6 +2509,7 @@ static int ethtool_set_fecparam(struct net_device *dev, void __user *useraddr)
 	if (copy_from_user(&fecparam, useraddr, sizeof(fecparam)))
 		return -EFAULT;
 
+	fecparam.active_fec = 0;
 	fecparam.reserved = 0;
 
 	return dev->ethtool_ops->set_fecparam(dev, &fecparam);