diff --git a/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/ixgbevf/ixgbevf.h b/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/ixgbevf/ixgbevf.h
index dfed420a1bf6..0a1b99240d43 100644
--- a/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/ixgbevf/ixgbevf.h
+++ b/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/ixgbevf/ixgbevf.h
@@ -287,7 +287,7 @@ extern const struct ixgbe_mbx_operations ixgbevf_mbx_ops;
 extern const char ixgbevf_driver_name[];
 extern const char ixgbevf_driver_version[];
 
-extern int ixgbevf_up(struct ixgbevf_adapter *adapter);
+extern void ixgbevf_up(struct ixgbevf_adapter *adapter);
 extern void ixgbevf_down(struct ixgbevf_adapter *adapter);
 extern void ixgbevf_reinit_locked(struct ixgbevf_adapter *adapter);
 extern void ixgbevf_reset(struct ixgbevf_adapter *adapter);
diff --git a/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/ixgbevf/ixgbevf_main.c b/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/ixgbevf/ixgbevf_main.c
index 307611ae831d..5a0e22830463 100644
--- a/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/ixgbevf/ixgbevf_main.c
+++ b/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/ixgbevf/ixgbevf_main.c
@@ -1608,13 +1608,14 @@ static void ixgbevf_init_last_counter_stats(struct ixgbevf_adapter *adapter)
 	adapter->stats.base_vfmprc = adapter->stats.last_vfmprc;
 }
 
-static int ixgbevf_up_complete(struct ixgbevf_adapter *adapter)
+static void ixgbevf_up_complete(struct ixgbevf_adapter *adapter)
 {
 	struct net_device *netdev = adapter->netdev;
 	struct ixgbe_hw *hw = &adapter->hw;
 	int i, j = 0;
 	int num_rx_rings = adapter->num_rx_queues;
 	u32 txdctl, rxdctl;
+	u32 msg[2];
 
 	for (i = 0; i < adapter->num_tx_queues; i++) {
 		j = adapter->tx_ring[i].reg_idx;
@@ -1653,6 +1654,10 @@ static int ixgbevf_up_complete(struct ixgbevf_adapter *adapter)
 			hw->mac.ops.set_rar(hw, 0, hw->mac.perm_addr, 0);
 	}
 
+	msg[0] = IXGBE_VF_SET_LPE;
+	msg[1] = netdev->mtu + ETH_HLEN + ETH_FCS_LEN;
+	hw->mbx.ops.write_posted(hw, msg, 2);
+
 	clear_bit(__IXGBEVF_DOWN, &adapter->state);
 	ixgbevf_napi_enable_all(adapter);
 
@@ -1667,24 +1672,20 @@ static int ixgbevf_up_complete(struct ixgbevf_adapter *adapter)
 	adapter->flags |= IXGBE_FLAG_NEED_LINK_UPDATE;
 	adapter->link_check_timeout = jiffies;
 	mod_timer(&adapter->watchdog_timer, jiffies);
-	return 0;
 }
 
-int ixgbevf_up(struct ixgbevf_adapter *adapter)
+void ixgbevf_up(struct ixgbevf_adapter *adapter)
 {
-	int err;
 	struct ixgbe_hw *hw = &adapter->hw;
 
 	ixgbevf_configure(adapter);
 
-	err = ixgbevf_up_complete(adapter);
+	ixgbevf_up_complete(adapter);
 
 	/* clear any pending interrupts, may auto mask */
 	IXGBE_READ_REG(hw, IXGBE_VTEICR);
 
 	ixgbevf_irq_enable(adapter, true, true);
-
-	return err;
 }
 
 /**
@@ -2673,9 +2674,7 @@ static int ixgbevf_open(struct net_device *netdev)
 	 */
 	ixgbevf_map_rings_to_vectors(adapter);
 
-	err = ixgbevf_up_complete(adapter);
-	if (err)
-		goto err_up;
+	ixgbevf_up_complete(adapter);
 
 	/* clear any pending interrupts, may auto mask */
 	IXGBE_READ_REG(hw, IXGBE_VTEICR);
@@ -2689,7 +2688,6 @@ static int ixgbevf_open(struct net_device *netdev)
 
 err_req_irq:
 	ixgbevf_down(adapter);
-err_up:
 	ixgbevf_free_irq(adapter);
 err_setup_rx:
 	ixgbevf_free_all_rx_resources(adapter);
@@ -3196,9 +3194,11 @@ static int ixgbevf_change_mtu(struct net_device *netdev, int new_mtu)
 	/* must set new MTU before calling down or up */
 	netdev->mtu = new_mtu;
 
-	msg[0] = IXGBE_VF_SET_LPE;
-	msg[1] = max_frame;
-	hw->mbx.ops.write_posted(hw, msg, 2);
+	if (!netif_running(netdev)) {
+		msg[0] = IXGBE_VF_SET_LPE;
+		msg[1] = max_frame;
+		hw->mbx.ops.write_posted(hw, msg, 2);
+	}
 
 	if (netif_running(netdev))
 		ixgbevf_reinit_locked(adapter);