diff --git a/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/ixgbevf/ixgbevf.h b/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/ixgbevf/ixgbevf.h
index a0e3257748194..89bfe4eb92f8c 100644
--- a/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/ixgbevf/ixgbevf.h
+++ b/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/ixgbevf/ixgbevf.h
@@ -387,6 +387,8 @@ struct ixgbevf_adapter {
 	u32 *rss_key;
 	u8 rss_indir_tbl[IXGBEVF_X550_VFRETA_SIZE];
 	u32 flags;
+	bool link_state;
+
 #define IXGBEVF_FLAGS_LEGACY_RX		BIT(1)
 
 #ifdef CONFIG_XFRM
diff --git a/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/ixgbevf/ixgbevf_main.c b/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/ixgbevf/ixgbevf_main.c
index 7ef2e1241a76e..c2e96e570f3bf 100644
--- a/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/ixgbevf/ixgbevf_main.c
+++ b/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/ixgbevf/ixgbevf_main.c
@@ -2291,7 +2291,9 @@ static void ixgbevf_negotiate_api(struct ixgbevf_adapter *adapter)
 static void ixgbevf_up_complete(struct ixgbevf_adapter *adapter)
 {
 	struct net_device *netdev = adapter->netdev;
+	struct pci_dev *pdev = adapter->pdev;
 	struct ixgbe_hw *hw = &adapter->hw;
+	bool state;
 
 	ixgbevf_configure_msix(adapter);
 
@@ -2304,6 +2306,11 @@ static void ixgbevf_up_complete(struct ixgbevf_adapter *adapter)
 
 	spin_unlock_bh(&adapter->mbx_lock);
 
+	state = adapter->link_state;
+	hw->mac.ops.get_link_state(hw, &adapter->link_state);
+	if (state && state != adapter->link_state)
+		dev_info(&pdev->dev, "VF is administratively disabled\n");
+
 	smp_mb__before_atomic();
 	clear_bit(__IXGBEVF_DOWN, &adapter->state);
 	ixgbevf_napi_enable_all(adapter);
@@ -3073,6 +3080,8 @@ static int ixgbevf_sw_init(struct ixgbevf_adapter *adapter)
 	adapter->tx_ring_count = IXGBEVF_DEFAULT_TXD;
 	adapter->rx_ring_count = IXGBEVF_DEFAULT_RXD;
 
+	adapter->link_state = true;
+
 	set_bit(__IXGBEVF_DOWN, &adapter->state);
 	return 0;
 
@@ -3305,7 +3314,7 @@ static void ixgbevf_watchdog_subtask(struct ixgbevf_adapter *adapter)
 
 	ixgbevf_watchdog_update_link(adapter);
 
-	if (adapter->link_up)
+	if (adapter->link_up && adapter->link_state)
 		ixgbevf_watchdog_link_is_up(adapter);
 	else
 		ixgbevf_watchdog_link_is_down(adapter);
diff --git a/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/ixgbevf/mbx.h b/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/ixgbevf/mbx.h
index 853796c8ef0e2..711dcebed3d05 100644
--- a/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/ixgbevf/mbx.h
+++ b/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/ixgbevf/mbx.h
@@ -51,6 +51,16 @@
 /* bits 23:16 are used for exra info for certain messages */
 #define IXGBE_VT_MSGINFO_MASK	(0xFF << IXGBE_VT_MSGINFO_SHIFT)
 
+/* IXGBE_VT_MSGTYPE_NACK and IXGBE_VT_MSGTYPE_ACK were renamed to
+ * IXGBE_VT_MSGTYPE_FAILURE and IXGBE_VT_MSGTYPE_SUCCESS respectively
+ * with commit 0edbecd57057 upstream.
+ *
+ * One of the backported fixes use them with their new names. These
+ * aliases enable them to work with both older and newer names.
+ */
+#define IXGBE_VT_MSGTYPE_SUCCESS IXGBE_VT_MSGTYPE_ACK
+#define IXGBE_VT_MSGTYPE_FAILURE IXGBE_VT_MSGTYPE_NACK
+
 /* definitions to support mailbox API version negotiation */
 
 /* each element denotes a version of the API; existing numbers may not
@@ -97,6 +107,8 @@ enum ixgbe_pfvf_api_rev {
 #define IXGBE_VF_IPSEC_ADD	0x0d
 #define IXGBE_VF_IPSEC_DEL	0x0e
 
+#define IXGBE_VF_GET_LINK_STATE 0x10 /* get vf link state */
+
 /* length of permanent address message returned from PF */
 #define IXGBE_VF_PERMADDR_MSG_LEN	4
 /* word in permanent address message with the current multicast type */
diff --git a/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/ixgbevf/vf.c b/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/ixgbevf/vf.c
index 5fc347abab3cb..dbec5120d7a7f 100644
--- a/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/ixgbevf/vf.c
+++ b/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/ixgbevf/vf.c
@@ -579,6 +579,46 @@ static s32 ixgbevf_hv_update_xcast_mode(struct ixgbe_hw *hw, int xcast_mode)
 	return -EOPNOTSUPP;
 }
 
+/**
+ * ixgbevf_get_link_state_vf - Get VF link state from PF
+ * @hw: pointer to the HW structure
+ * @link_state: link state storage
+ *
+ * Returns state of the operation error or success.
+ */
+static s32 ixgbevf_get_link_state_vf(struct ixgbe_hw *hw, bool *link_state)
+{
+	u32 msgbuf[2];
+	s32 ret_val;
+	s32 err;
+
+	msgbuf[0] = IXGBE_VF_GET_LINK_STATE;
+	msgbuf[1] = 0x0;
+
+	err = ixgbevf_write_msg_read_ack(hw, msgbuf, msgbuf, 2);
+
+	if (err || (msgbuf[0] & IXGBE_VT_MSGTYPE_FAILURE)) {
+		ret_val = IXGBE_ERR_MBX;
+	} else {
+		ret_val = 0;
+		*link_state = msgbuf[1];
+	}
+
+	return ret_val;
+}
+
+/**
+ * ixgbevf_hv_get_link_state_vf - * Hyper-V variant - just a stub.
+ * @hw: unused
+ * @link_state: unused
+ *
+ * Hyper-V variant; there is no mailbox communication.
+ */
+static s32 ixgbevf_hv_get_link_state_vf(struct ixgbe_hw *hw, bool *link_state)
+{
+	return -EOPNOTSUPP;
+}
+
 /**
  *  ixgbevf_set_vfta_vf - Set/Unset VLAN filter table address
  *  @hw: pointer to the HW structure
@@ -958,6 +998,7 @@ static const struct ixgbe_mac_operations ixgbevf_mac_ops = {
 	.set_rar		= ixgbevf_set_rar_vf,
 	.update_mc_addr_list	= ixgbevf_update_mc_addr_list_vf,
 	.update_xcast_mode	= ixgbevf_update_xcast_mode,
+	.get_link_state		= ixgbevf_get_link_state_vf,
 	.set_uc_addr		= ixgbevf_set_uc_addr_vf,
 	.set_vfta		= ixgbevf_set_vfta_vf,
 	.set_rlpml		= ixgbevf_set_rlpml_vf,
@@ -975,6 +1016,7 @@ static const struct ixgbe_mac_operations ixgbevf_hv_mac_ops = {
 	.set_rar		= ixgbevf_hv_set_rar_vf,
 	.update_mc_addr_list	= ixgbevf_hv_update_mc_addr_list_vf,
 	.update_xcast_mode	= ixgbevf_hv_update_xcast_mode,
+	.get_link_state		= ixgbevf_hv_get_link_state_vf,
 	.set_uc_addr		= ixgbevf_hv_set_uc_addr_vf,
 	.set_vfta		= ixgbevf_hv_set_vfta_vf,
 	.set_rlpml		= ixgbevf_hv_set_rlpml_vf,
diff --git a/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/ixgbevf/vf.h b/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/ixgbevf/vf.h
index 1d8209df41623..addeece133e74 100644
--- a/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/ixgbevf/vf.h
+++ b/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/ixgbevf/vf.h
@@ -39,6 +39,7 @@ struct ixgbe_mac_operations {
 	s32 (*init_rx_addrs)(struct ixgbe_hw *);
 	s32 (*update_mc_addr_list)(struct ixgbe_hw *, struct net_device *);
 	s32 (*update_xcast_mode)(struct ixgbe_hw *, int);
+	s32 (*get_link_state)(struct ixgbe_hw *hw, bool *link_state);
 	s32 (*enable_mc)(struct ixgbe_hw *);
 	s32 (*disable_mc)(struct ixgbe_hw *);
 	s32 (*clear_vfta)(struct ixgbe_hw *);
