diff --git a/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/i40e/i40e_virtchnl_pf.c b/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/i40e/i40e_virtchnl_pf.c
index 02b09a8ad54c..12f04f36e357 100644
--- a/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/i40e/i40e_virtchnl_pf.c
+++ b/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/i40e/i40e_virtchnl_pf.c
@@ -55,7 +55,12 @@ static void i40e_vc_notify_vf_link_state(struct i40e_vf *vf)
 
 	pfe.event = VIRTCHNL_EVENT_LINK_CHANGE;
 	pfe.severity = PF_EVENT_SEVERITY_INFO;
-	if (vf->link_forced) {
+
+	/* Always report link is down if the VF queues aren't enabled */
+	if (!vf->queues_enabled) {
+		pfe.event_data.link_event.link_status = false;
+		pfe.event_data.link_event.link_speed = 0;
+	} else if (vf->link_forced) {
 		pfe.event_data.link_event.link_status = vf->link_up;
 		pfe.event_data.link_event.link_speed =
 			(vf->link_up ? VIRTCHNL_LINK_SPEED_40GB : 0);
@@ -65,6 +70,7 @@ static void i40e_vc_notify_vf_link_state(struct i40e_vf *vf)
 		pfe.event_data.link_event.link_speed =
 			i40e_virtchnl_link_speed(ls->link_speed);
 	}
+
 	i40e_aq_send_msg_to_vf(hw, abs_vf_id, VIRTCHNL_OP_EVENT,
 			       0, (u8 *)&pfe, sizeof(pfe), NULL);
 }
@@ -2364,6 +2370,8 @@ static int i40e_vc_enable_queues_msg(struct i40e_vf *vf, u8 *msg)
 		}
 	}
 
+	vf->queues_enabled = true;
+
 error_param:
 	/* send the response to the VF */
 	return i40e_vc_send_resp_to_vf(vf, VIRTCHNL_OP_ENABLE_QUEUES,
@@ -2385,6 +2393,9 @@ static int i40e_vc_disable_queues_msg(struct i40e_vf *vf, u8 *msg)
 	struct i40e_pf *pf = vf->pf;
 	i40e_status aq_ret = 0;
 
+	/* Immediately mark queues as disabled */
+	vf->queues_enabled = false;
+
 	if (!test_bit(I40E_VF_STATE_ACTIVE, &vf->vf_states)) {
 		aq_ret = I40E_ERR_PARAM;
 		goto error_param;
diff --git a/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/i40e/i40e_virtchnl_pf.h b/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/i40e/i40e_virtchnl_pf.h
index f65cc0c16550..7164b9bb294f 100644
--- a/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/i40e/i40e_virtchnl_pf.h
+++ b/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/i40e/i40e_virtchnl_pf.h
@@ -99,6 +99,7 @@ struct i40e_vf {
 	unsigned int tx_rate;	/* Tx bandwidth limit in Mbps */
 	bool link_forced;
 	bool link_up;		/* only valid if VF link is forced */
+	bool queues_enabled;	/* true if the VF queues are enabled */
 	bool spoofchk;
 	u16 num_mac;
 	u16 num_vlan;