diff --git a/src/qemu/qemu_interface.c b/src/qemu/qemu_interface.c
index e327133308785bfadac464a6cb4413e964c90189..455c2d05322f0dac0656455bb885e3b78392b592 100644
--- a/src/qemu/qemu_interface.c
+++ b/src/qemu/qemu_interface.c
@@ -453,6 +453,9 @@ qemuInterfaceEthernetConnect(virDomainDefPtr def,
     if (virNetDevSetMAC(net->ifname, &tapmac) < 0)
         goto cleanup;
 
+    if (virNetDevSetOnline(net->ifname, true) < 0)
+        goto cleanup;
+
     if (net->script &&
         virNetDevRunEthernetScript(net->ifname, net->script) < 0)
         goto cleanup;