diff --git a/drivers/net/ethernet/chelsio/cxgb4/cxgb4_main.c b/drivers/net/ethernet/chelsio/cxgb4/cxgb4_main.c
index 2ae54d54aea8..06c3414c93b1 100644
--- a/drivers/net/ethernet/chelsio/cxgb4/cxgb4_main.c
+++ b/drivers/net/ethernet/chelsio/cxgb4/cxgb4_main.c
@@ -4956,6 +4956,8 @@ static int init_one(struct pci_dev *pdev, const struct pci_device_id *ent)
 		netif_set_real_num_tx_queues(adapter->port[i], pi->nqsets);
 		netif_set_real_num_rx_queues(adapter->port[i], pi->nqsets);
 
+		netif_carrier_off(adapter->port[i]);
+
 		err = register_netdev(adapter->port[i]);
 		if (err)
 			break;