diff --git a/[refs] b/[refs]
index f1db2488debb..9dfc601446f7 100644
--- a/[refs]
+++ b/[refs]
@@ -1,2 +1,2 @@
 ---
-refs/heads/master: 75e6047431872dadd0b13503b374e48ccd71a507
+refs/heads/master: 167c25e4c5501f8b7e37f949d23652975c5a769c
diff --git a/trunk/drivers/net/virtio_net.c b/trunk/drivers/net/virtio_net.c
index bb6b67f6b0cc..b6d402806ae6 100644
--- a/trunk/drivers/net/virtio_net.c
+++ b/trunk/drivers/net/virtio_net.c
@@ -986,9 +986,15 @@ static int virtnet_probe(struct virtio_device *vdev)
 		goto unregister;
 	}
 
-	vi->status = VIRTIO_NET_S_LINK_UP;
-	virtnet_update_status(vi);
-	netif_carrier_on(dev);
+	/* Assume link up if device can't report link status,
+	   otherwise get link status from config. */
+	if (virtio_has_feature(vi->vdev, VIRTIO_NET_F_STATUS)) {
+		netif_carrier_off(dev);
+		virtnet_update_status(vi);
+	} else {
+		vi->status = VIRTIO_NET_S_LINK_UP;
+		netif_carrier_on(dev);
+	}
 
 	pr_debug("virtnet: registered device %s\n", dev->name);
 	return 0;