diff --git a/drivers/net/ethernet/qlogic/qed/qed_main.c b/drivers/net/ethernet/qlogic/qed/qed_main.c
index 1e9f321f1ac44f6bea4b9a3b1981a93074cb5dbd..d189871e8e23da7dbfebca561c0f7b05b851b759 100644
--- a/drivers/net/ethernet/qlogic/qed/qed_main.c
+++ b/drivers/net/ethernet/qlogic/qed/qed_main.c
@@ -915,6 +915,11 @@ static u32 qed_sb_release(struct qed_dev *cdev,
 	return rc;
 }
 
+static bool qed_can_link_change(struct qed_dev *cdev)
+{
+	return true;
+}
+
 static int qed_set_link(struct qed_dev *cdev,
 			struct qed_link_params *params)
 {
@@ -1177,6 +1182,7 @@ const struct qed_common_ops qed_common_ops_pass = {
 	.sb_release = &qed_sb_release,
 	.simd_handler_config = &qed_simd_handler_config,
 	.simd_handler_clean = &qed_simd_handler_clean,
+	.can_link_change = &qed_can_link_change,
 	.set_link = &qed_set_link,
 	.get_link = &qed_get_current_link,
 	.drain = &qed_drain,
diff --git a/drivers/net/ethernet/qlogic/qede/qede_ethtool.c b/drivers/net/ethernet/qlogic/qede/qede_ethtool.c
index 2ac98d44c1e1addf555c71e8369a0dba30af77ec..f1dd25ac555207769d1492fc4d3e4be4d6a06159 100644
--- a/drivers/net/ethernet/qlogic/qede/qede_ethtool.c
+++ b/drivers/net/ethernet/qlogic/qede/qede_ethtool.c
@@ -239,9 +239,9 @@ static int qede_set_settings(struct net_device *dev, struct ethtool_cmd *cmd)
 	struct qed_link_params params;
 	u32 speed;
 
-	if (!edev->dev_info.common.is_mf_default) {
+	if (!edev->ops || !edev->ops->common->can_link_change(edev->cdev)) {
 		DP_INFO(edev,
-			"Link parameters can not be changed in non-default mode\n");
+			"Link settings are not allowed to be changed\n");
 		return -EOPNOTSUPP;
 	}
 
@@ -350,6 +350,12 @@ static int qede_nway_reset(struct net_device *dev)
 	struct qed_link_output current_link;
 	struct qed_link_params link_params;
 
+	if (!edev->ops || !edev->ops->common->can_link_change(edev->cdev)) {
+		DP_INFO(edev,
+			"Link settings are not allowed to be changed\n");
+		return -EOPNOTSUPP;
+	}
+
 	if (!netif_running(dev))
 		return 0;
 
@@ -450,9 +456,9 @@ static int qede_set_pauseparam(struct net_device *dev,
 	struct qed_link_params params;
 	struct qed_link_output current_link;
 
-	if (!edev->dev_info.common.is_mf_default) {
+	if (!edev->ops || !edev->ops->common->can_link_change(edev->cdev)) {
 		DP_INFO(edev,
-			"Pause parameters can not be updated in non-default mode\n");
+			"Pause settings are not allowed to be changed\n");
 		return -EOPNOTSUPP;
 	}
 
diff --git a/include/linux/qed/qed_if.h b/include/linux/qed/qed_if.h
index 82a7fe0110684afe841cbacf6e07d9eb30f4b916..e5de42b6297660a3a088853512c332202a10c19d 100644
--- a/include/linux/qed/qed_if.h
+++ b/include/linux/qed/qed_if.h
@@ -211,6 +211,16 @@ struct qed_common_ops {
 
 	void		(*simd_handler_clean)(struct qed_dev *cdev,
 					      int index);
+
+/**
+ * @brief can_link_change - can the instance change the link or not
+ *
+ * @param cdev
+ *
+ * @return true if link-change is allowed, false otherwise.
+ */
+	bool (*can_link_change)(struct qed_dev *cdev);
+
 /**
  * @brief set_link - set links according to params
  *