diff --git a/drivers/net/virtio_net.c b/drivers/net/virtio_net.c
index 0383a3e136d6..0cb93261eba1 100644
--- a/drivers/net/virtio_net.c
+++ b/drivers/net/virtio_net.c
@@ -2878,6 +2878,7 @@ static int virtnet_enable_queue_pair(struct virtnet_info *vi, int qp_index)
 	return err;
 }
 
+
 static void virtnet_cancel_dim(struct virtnet_info *vi, struct dim *dim)
 {
 	if (!virtio_has_feature(vi->vdev, VIRTIO_NET_F_VQ_NOTF_COAL))
@@ -2885,6 +2886,25 @@ static void virtnet_cancel_dim(struct virtnet_info *vi, struct dim *dim)
 	net_dim_work_cancel(dim);
 }
 
+static void virtnet_update_settings(struct virtnet_info *vi)
+{
+	u32 speed;
+	u8 duplex;
+
+	if (!virtio_has_feature(vi->vdev, VIRTIO_NET_F_SPEED_DUPLEX))
+		return;
+
+	virtio_cread_le(vi->vdev, struct virtio_net_config, speed, &speed);
+
+	if (ethtool_validate_speed(speed))
+		vi->speed = speed;
+
+	virtio_cread_le(vi->vdev, struct virtio_net_config, duplex, &duplex);
+
+	if (ethtool_validate_duplex(duplex))
+		vi->duplex = duplex;
+}
+
 static int virtnet_open(struct net_device *dev)
 {
 	struct virtnet_info *vi = netdev_priv(dev);
@@ -2903,6 +2923,16 @@ static int virtnet_open(struct net_device *dev)
 			goto err_enable_qp;
 	}
 
+	if (virtio_has_feature(vi->vdev, VIRTIO_NET_F_STATUS)) {
+		if (vi->status & VIRTIO_NET_S_LINK_UP)
+			netif_carrier_on(vi->dev);
+		virtio_config_driver_enable(vi->vdev);
+	} else {
+		vi->status = VIRTIO_NET_S_LINK_UP;
+		netif_carrier_on(dev);
+		virtnet_update_settings(vi);
+	}
+
 	return 0;
 
 err_enable_qp:
@@ -3381,12 +3411,18 @@ static int virtnet_close(struct net_device *dev)
 	disable_delayed_refill(vi);
 	/* Make sure refill_work doesn't re-enable napi! */
 	cancel_delayed_work_sync(&vi->refill);
+	/* Make sure config notification doesn't schedule config work */
+	virtio_config_driver_disable(vi->vdev);
+	/* Make sure status updating is cancelled */
+	cancel_work_sync(&vi->config_work);
 
 	for (i = 0; i < vi->max_queue_pairs; i++) {
 		virtnet_disable_queue_pair(vi, i);
 		virtnet_cancel_dim(vi, &vi->rq[i].dim);
 	}
 
+	netif_carrier_off(dev);
+
 	return 0;
 }
 
@@ -5085,25 +5121,6 @@ static void virtnet_init_settings(struct net_device *dev)
 	vi->duplex = DUPLEX_UNKNOWN;
 }
 
-static void virtnet_update_settings(struct virtnet_info *vi)
-{
-	u32 speed;
-	u8 duplex;
-
-	if (!virtio_has_feature(vi->vdev, VIRTIO_NET_F_SPEED_DUPLEX))
-		return;
-
-	virtio_cread_le(vi->vdev, struct virtio_net_config, speed, &speed);
-
-	if (ethtool_validate_speed(speed))
-		vi->speed = speed;
-
-	virtio_cread_le(vi->vdev, struct virtio_net_config, duplex, &duplex);
-
-	if (ethtool_validate_duplex(duplex))
-		vi->duplex = duplex;
-}
-
 static u32 virtnet_get_rxfh_key_size(struct net_device *dev)
 {
 	return ((struct virtnet_info *)netdev_priv(dev))->rss_key_size;
@@ -6514,6 +6531,11 @@ static int virtnet_probe(struct virtio_device *vdev)
 		goto free_failover;
 	}
 
+	/* Forbid config change notification until ndo_open. */
+	virtio_config_driver_disable(vi->vdev);
+	/* Make sure status updating work is done */
+	cancel_work_sync(&vi->config_work);
+
 	virtio_device_ready(vdev);
 
 	virtnet_set_queues(vi, vi->curr_queue_pairs);
@@ -6563,6 +6585,19 @@ static int virtnet_probe(struct virtio_device *vdev)
 		vi->device_stats_cap = le64_to_cpu(v);
 	}
 
+	/* Assume link up if device can't report link status,
+           otherwise get link status from config. */
+        netif_carrier_off(dev);
+        if (virtio_has_feature(vi->vdev, VIRTIO_NET_F_STATUS)) {
+		/* This is safe as config notification change has been
+		   disabled. */
+                virtnet_config_changed_work(&vi->config_work);
+        } else {
+                vi->status = VIRTIO_NET_S_LINK_UP;
+                virtnet_update_settings(vi);
+                netif_carrier_on(dev);
+        }
+
 	rtnl_unlock();
 
 	err = virtnet_cpu_notif_add(vi);
@@ -6571,17 +6606,6 @@ static int virtnet_probe(struct virtio_device *vdev)
 		goto free_unregister_netdev;
 	}
 
-	/* Assume link up if device can't report link status,
-	   otherwise get link status from config. */
-	netif_carrier_off(dev);
-	if (virtio_has_feature(vi->vdev, VIRTIO_NET_F_STATUS)) {
-		schedule_work(&vi->config_work);
-	} else {
-		vi->status = VIRTIO_NET_S_LINK_UP;
-		virtnet_update_settings(vi);
-		netif_carrier_on(dev);
-	}
-
 	for (i = 0; i < ARRAY_SIZE(guest_offloads); i++)
 		if (virtio_has_feature(vi->vdev, guest_offloads[i]))
 			set_bit(guest_offloads[i], &vi->guest_offloads);
