diff --git a/sys/dev/ixl/if_ixl.c b/sys/dev/ixl/if_ixl.c
--- a/sys/dev/ixl/if_ixl.c
+++ b/sys/dev/ixl/if_ixl.c
@@ -770,6 +770,12 @@
 	ixl_update_stats_counters(pf);
 	ixl_add_hw_stats(pf);
 
+	/*
+	 * Driver may have been reloaded. Ensure that the link state
+	 * is consistent with current settings.
+	 */
+	ixl_set_link(pf, (pf->state & IXL_PF_STATE_LINK_ACTIVE_ON_DOWN) != 0);
+
 	hw->phy.get_link_info = true;
 	i40e_get_link_status(hw, &pf->link_up);
 	ixl_update_link_status(pf);
@@ -961,6 +967,8 @@
 		return;
 	}
 
+	ixl_set_link(pf, true);
+
 	/* Reconfigure multicast filters in HW */
 	ixl_if_multi_set(ctx);
 
@@ -1003,6 +1011,7 @@
 ixl_if_stop(if_ctx_t ctx)
 {
 	struct ixl_pf *pf = iflib_get_softc(ctx);
+	struct ifnet *ifp = iflib_get_ifp(ctx);
 	struct ixl_vsi *vsi = &pf->vsi;
 
 	INIT_DEBUGOUT("ixl_if_stop: begin\n");
@@ -1019,6 +1028,15 @@
 
 	ixl_disable_rings_intr(vsi);
 	ixl_disable_rings(pf, vsi, &pf->qtag);
+
+	/*
+	 * Don't set link state if only reconfiguring
+	 * e.g. on MTU change.
+	 */
+	if ((if_getflags(ifp) & IFF_UP) == 0 &&
+	    (atomic_load_acq_32(&pf->state) &
+	    IXL_PF_STATE_LINK_ACTIVE_ON_DOWN) == 0)
+		ixl_set_link(pf, false);
 }
 
 static int
diff --git a/sys/dev/ixl/ixl_pf.h b/sys/dev/ixl/ixl_pf.h
--- a/sys/dev/ixl/ixl_pf.h
+++ b/sys/dev/ixl/ixl_pf.h
@@ -88,6 +88,7 @@
 	IXL_PF_STATE_EMP_RESET_REQ	= (1 << 8),
 	IXL_PF_STATE_FW_LLDP_DISABLED	= (1 << 9),
 	IXL_PF_STATE_EEE_ENABLED	= (1 << 10),
+	IXL_PF_STATE_LINK_ACTIVE_ON_DOWN = (1 << 11),
 };
 
 #define IXL_PF_IN_RECOVERY_MODE(pf)	\
@@ -229,6 +230,11 @@
 "\t0 - disable\n"			\
 "\t1 - enable\n"
 
+#define IXL_SYSCTL_HELP_SET_LINK_ACTIVE			\
+"\nKeep link active after setting interface down:\n"	\
+"\t0 - disable\n"					\
+"\t1 - enable\n"
+
 #define IXL_SYSCTL_HELP_READ_I2C		\
 "\nRead a byte from I2C bus\n"			\
 "Input: 32-bit value\n"				\
@@ -351,6 +357,7 @@
 void	ixl_get_bus_info(struct ixl_pf *pf);
 int	ixl_aq_get_link_status(struct ixl_pf *,
     struct i40e_aqc_get_link_status *);
+void	ixl_set_link(struct ixl_pf *, bool);
 
 int	ixl_handle_nvmupd_cmd(struct ixl_pf *, struct ifdrv *);
 int	ixl_handle_i2c_eeprom_read_cmd(struct ixl_pf *, struct ifreq *ifr);
diff --git a/sys/dev/ixl/ixl_pf_iflib.c b/sys/dev/ixl/ixl_pf_iflib.c
--- a/sys/dev/ixl/ixl_pf_iflib.c
+++ b/sys/dev/ixl/ixl_pf_iflib.c
@@ -413,6 +413,8 @@
 	/* Print out message if an unqualified module is found */
 	if ((status->link_info & I40E_AQ_MEDIA_AVAILABLE) &&
 	    (pf->advertised_speed) &&
+	    (atomic_load_32(&pf->state) &
+	     IXL_PF_STATE_LINK_ACTIVE_ON_DOWN) != 0 &&
 	    (!(status->an_info & I40E_AQ_QUALIFIED_MODULE)) &&
 	    (!(status->link_info & I40E_AQ_LINK_UP)))
 		device_printf(dev, "Link failed because "
diff --git a/sys/dev/ixl/ixl_pf_main.c b/sys/dev/ixl/ixl_pf_main.c
--- a/sys/dev/ixl/ixl_pf_main.c
+++ b/sys/dev/ixl/ixl_pf_main.c
@@ -62,6 +62,7 @@
 static int	ixl_sysctl_pf_rx_itr(SYSCTL_HANDLER_ARGS);
 
 static int	ixl_sysctl_eee_enable(SYSCTL_HANDLER_ARGS);
+static int	ixl_sysctl_set_link_active(SYSCTL_HANDLER_ARGS);
 
 /* Debug Sysctls */
 static int 	ixl_sysctl_link_status(SYSCTL_HANDLER_ARGS);
@@ -385,6 +386,9 @@
 		break;
 	}
 
+	/* Keep link active by default */
+	atomic_set_32(&pf->state, IXL_PF_STATE_LINK_ACTIVE_ON_DOWN);
+
 	/* Print a subset of the capability information. */
 	device_printf(dev,
 	    "PF-ID[%d]: VFs %d, MSI-X %d, VF MSI-X %d, QPs %d, %s\n",
@@ -2499,6 +2503,12 @@
 	    CTLFLAG_RD | CTLFLAG_MPSAFE, &pf->stats.rx_lpi_count,
 	    "RX LPI count");
 
+	SYSCTL_ADD_PROC(ctx, ctx_list, OID_AUTO,
+	    "link_active_on_if_down",
+	    CTLTYPE_INT | CTLFLAG_RWTUN,
+	    pf, 0, ixl_sysctl_set_link_active, "I",
+	    IXL_SYSCTL_HELP_SET_LINK_ACTIVE);
+
 	/* Add sysctls meant to print debug information, but don't list them
 	 * in "sysctl -a" output. */
 	debug_node = SYSCTL_ADD_NODE(ctx, ctx_list,
@@ -2519,6 +2529,11 @@
 	    CTLTYPE_STRING | CTLFLAG_RD | CTLFLAG_NEEDGIANT,
 	    pf, 0, ixl_sysctl_link_status, "A", IXL_SYSCTL_HELP_LINK_STATUS);
 
+	SYSCTL_ADD_PROC(ctx, debug_list,
+	    OID_AUTO, "phy_abilities_init",
+	    CTLTYPE_STRING | CTLFLAG_RD,
+	    pf, 1, ixl_sysctl_phy_abilities, "A", "Initial PHY Abilities");
+
 	SYSCTL_ADD_PROC(ctx, debug_list,
 	    OID_AUTO, "phy_abilities",
 	    CTLTYPE_STRING | CTLFLAG_RD | CTLFLAG_NEEDGIANT,
@@ -3107,6 +3122,95 @@
 	return (-1);
 }
 
+void
+ixl_set_link(struct ixl_pf *pf, bool enable)
+{
+	struct i40e_hw *hw = &pf->hw;
+	device_t dev = pf->dev;
+	struct i40e_aq_get_phy_abilities_resp abilities;
+	struct i40e_aq_set_phy_config config;
+	enum i40e_status_code aq_error = 0;
+	u32 phy_type, phy_type_ext;
+
+	/* Get initial capability information */
+	aq_error = i40e_aq_get_phy_capabilities(hw,
+	    FALSE, TRUE, &abilities, NULL);
+	if (aq_error) {
+		device_printf(dev,
+		    "%s: Error getting phy capabilities %d,"
+		    " aq error: %d\n", __func__, aq_error,
+		    hw->aq.asq_last_status);
+		return;
+	}
+
+	phy_type = abilities.phy_type;
+	phy_type_ext = abilities.phy_type_ext;
+
+	/* Get current capability information */
+	aq_error = i40e_aq_get_phy_capabilities(hw,
+	    FALSE, FALSE, &abilities, NULL);
+	if (aq_error) {
+		device_printf(dev,
+		    "%s: Error getting phy capabilities %d,"
+		    " aq error: %d\n", __func__, aq_error,
+		    hw->aq.asq_last_status);
+		return;
+	}
+
+	/* Prepare new config */
+	memset(&config, 0, sizeof(config));
+	config.link_speed = abilities.link_speed;
+	config.abilities = abilities.abilities;
+	config.eee_capability = abilities.eee_capability;
+	config.eeer = abilities.eeer_val;
+	config.low_power_ctrl = abilities.d3_lpan;
+	config.fec_config = abilities.fec_cfg_curr_mod_ext_info
+	    & I40E_AQ_PHY_FEC_CONFIG_MASK;
+	config.phy_type = 0;
+	config.phy_type_ext = 0;
+
+	if (enable) {
+		config.phy_type = phy_type;
+		config.phy_type_ext = phy_type_ext;
+
+		config.abilities &= ~(I40E_AQ_PHY_FLAG_PAUSE_TX |
+		    I40E_AQ_PHY_FLAG_PAUSE_RX);
+
+		switch (pf->fc) {
+		case I40E_FC_FULL:
+			config.abilities |= I40E_AQ_PHY_FLAG_PAUSE_TX |
+			    I40E_AQ_PHY_FLAG_PAUSE_RX;
+			break;
+		case I40E_FC_RX_PAUSE:
+			config.abilities |= I40E_AQ_PHY_FLAG_PAUSE_RX;
+			break;
+		case I40E_FC_TX_PAUSE:
+			config.abilities |= I40E_AQ_PHY_FLAG_PAUSE_TX;
+			break;
+		default:
+			break;
+		}
+	}
+
+	aq_error = i40e_aq_set_phy_config(hw, &config, NULL);
+	if (aq_error) {
+		device_printf(dev,
+		    "%s: Error setting new phy config %d,"
+		    " aq error: %d\n", __func__, aq_error,
+		    hw->aq.asq_last_status);
+		return;
+	}
+
+	aq_error = i40e_aq_set_link_restart_an(hw, enable, NULL);
+	if (aq_error) {
+		device_printf(dev,
+		    "%s: Error set link config %d,"
+		    " aq error: %d\n", __func__, aq_error,
+		    hw->aq.asq_last_status);
+		return;
+	}
+}
+
 static char *
 ixl_phy_type_string(u32 bit_pos, bool ext)
 {
@@ -3265,7 +3369,7 @@
 	}
 
 	status = i40e_aq_get_phy_capabilities(hw,
-	    FALSE, FALSE, &abilities, NULL);
+	    FALSE, arg2 != 0, &abilities, NULL);
 	if (status) {
 		device_printf(dev,
 		    "%s: i40e_aq_get_phy_capabilities() status %s, aq error %s\n",
@@ -4447,6 +4551,28 @@
 	return (0);
 }
 
+static int
+ixl_sysctl_set_link_active(SYSCTL_HANDLER_ARGS)
+{
+	struct ixl_pf *pf = (struct ixl_pf *)arg1;
+	int error, state;
+
+	state = !!(atomic_load_acq_32(&pf->state) &
+	    IXL_PF_STATE_LINK_ACTIVE_ON_DOWN);
+
+	error = sysctl_handle_int(oidp, &state, 0, req);
+	if ((error) || (req->newptr == NULL))
+		return (error);
+
+	if (state == 0)
+		atomic_clear_32(&pf->state, IXL_PF_STATE_LINK_ACTIVE_ON_DOWN);
+	else
+		atomic_set_32(&pf->state, IXL_PF_STATE_LINK_ACTIVE_ON_DOWN);
+
+	return (0);
+}
+
+
 int
 ixl_attach_get_link_status(struct ixl_pf *pf)
 {