diff --git a/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/ixgbe/ixgbe_x550.c b/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/ixgbe/ixgbe_x550.c
index af579c21e57f0978a4e9ce65b64e59eba8f0f76c..04d6c744b936236f1b698633253f472f9849c8fa 100644
--- a/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/ixgbe/ixgbe_x550.c
+++ b/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/ixgbe/ixgbe_x550.c
@@ -3795,7 +3795,7 @@ static struct ixgbe_mac_operations mac_ops_x550em_a = {
 	.get_media_type		= ixgbe_get_media_type_X550em,
 	.get_san_mac_addr	= NULL,
 	.get_wwn_prefix		= NULL,
-	.setup_link		= NULL, /* defined later */
+	.setup_link		= &ixgbe_setup_mac_link_X540,
 	.get_link_capabilities	= ixgbe_get_link_capabilities_X550em,
 	.get_bus_info		= ixgbe_get_bus_info_X550em,
 	.setup_sfp		= ixgbe_setup_sfp_modules_X550em,