diff --git a/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/ixgbe/ixgbe_main.c b/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/ixgbe/ixgbe_main.c
index ee230f533ee3c485b1b488ac78e1890930d9322f..17f46f0079a5e2a835cf9eb10e59cf5d65d40934 100644
--- a/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/ixgbe/ixgbe_main.c
+++ b/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/ixgbe/ixgbe_main.c
@@ -5390,6 +5390,9 @@ static void ixgbe_watchdog_link_is_up(struct ixgbe_adapter *adapter)
 
 	netif_carrier_on(netdev);
 	ixgbe_check_vf_rate_limit(adapter);
+
+	/* ping all the active vfs to let them know link has changed */
+	ixgbe_ping_all_vfs(adapter);
 }
 
 /**
@@ -5419,6 +5422,9 @@ static void ixgbe_watchdog_link_is_down(struct ixgbe_adapter *adapter)
 
 	e_info(drv, "NIC Link is Down\n");
 	netif_carrier_off(netdev);
+
+	/* ping all the active vfs to let them know link has changed */
+	ixgbe_ping_all_vfs(adapter);
 }
 
 /**