diff --git a/drivers/net/macsec.c b/drivers/net/macsec.c
index 4bb90b6867a2a0e649499e94e481d189334c31bf..64a982563d59171e9220243a5d5eac9bed286529 100644
--- a/drivers/net/macsec.c
+++ b/drivers/net/macsec.c
@@ -2812,9 +2812,6 @@ static int macsec_dev_open(struct net_device *dev)
 	struct net_device *real_dev = macsec->real_dev;
 	int err;
 
-	if (!(real_dev->flags & IFF_UP))
-		return -ENETDOWN;
-
 	err = dev_uc_add(real_dev, dev->dev_addr);
 	if (err < 0)
 		return err;
@@ -3306,6 +3303,9 @@ static int macsec_newlink(struct net *net, struct net_device *dev,
 	if (err < 0)
 		goto del_dev;
 
+	netif_stacked_transfer_operstate(real_dev, dev);
+	linkwatch_fire_event(dev);
+
 	macsec_generation++;
 
 	return 0;
@@ -3490,6 +3490,20 @@ static int macsec_notify(struct notifier_block *this, unsigned long event,
 		return NOTIFY_DONE;
 
 	switch (event) {
+	case NETDEV_DOWN:
+	case NETDEV_UP:
+	case NETDEV_CHANGE: {
+		struct macsec_dev *m, *n;
+		struct macsec_rxh_data *rxd;
+
+		rxd = macsec_data_rtnl(real_dev);
+		list_for_each_entry_safe(m, n, &rxd->secys, secys) {
+			struct net_device *dev = m->secy.netdev;
+
+			netif_stacked_transfer_operstate(real_dev, dev);
+		}
+		break;
+	}
 	case NETDEV_UNREGISTER: {
 		struct macsec_dev *m, *n;
 		struct macsec_rxh_data *rxd;