diff --git a/drivers/net/ethernet/chelsio/cxgb4vf/cxgb4vf_main.c b/drivers/net/ethernet/chelsio/cxgb4vf/cxgb4vf_main.c
index b7e79e64d2ed1..361de86b65b93 100644
--- a/drivers/net/ethernet/chelsio/cxgb4vf/cxgb4vf_main.c
+++ b/drivers/net/ethernet/chelsio/cxgb4vf/cxgb4vf_main.c
@@ -155,8 +155,6 @@ void t4vf_os_link_changed(struct adapter *adapter, int pidx, int link_ok)
 		const char *fc;
 		const struct port_info *pi = netdev_priv(dev);
 
-		netif_carrier_on(dev);
-
 		switch (pi->link_cfg.speed) {
 		case 100:
 			s = "100Mbps";
@@ -202,7 +200,6 @@ void t4vf_os_link_changed(struct adapter *adapter, int pidx, int link_ok)
 
 		netdev_info(dev, "link up, %s, full-duplex, %s PAUSE\n", s, fc);
 	} else {
-		netif_carrier_off(dev);
 		netdev_info(dev, "link down\n");
 	}
 }
@@ -278,6 +275,17 @@ static int link_start(struct net_device *dev)
 	 */
 	if (ret == 0)
 		ret = t4vf_enable_vi(pi->adapter, pi->viid, true, true);
+
+	/* The Virtual Interfaces are connected to an internal switch on the
+	 * chip which allows VIs attached to the same port to talk to each
+	 * other even when the port link is down.  As a result, we generally
+	 * want to always report a VI's link as being "up", provided there are
+	 * no errors in enabling vi.
+	 */
+
+	if (ret == 0)
+		netif_carrier_on(dev);
+
 	return ret;
 }