diff --git a/drivers/net/ethernet/mellanox/mlx4/en_netdev.c b/drivers/net/ethernet/mellanox/mlx4/en_netdev.c
index c96113b..8c562f7a 100644
--- a/drivers/net/ethernet/mellanox/mlx4/en_netdev.c
+++ b/drivers/net/ethernet/mellanox/mlx4/en_netdev.c
@@ -1306,12 +1306,12 @@ int mlx4_en_init_netdev(struct mlx4_en_dev *mdev, int port,
 
 	mdev->pndev[port] = dev;
 
-	netif_carrier_off(dev);
 	err = register_netdev(dev);
 	if (err) {
 		mlx4_err(mdev, "Netdev registration failed for port %d\n", port);
 		goto out;
 	}
+	netif_carrier_off(dev);
 
 	en_warn(priv, "Using %d TX rings\n", prof->tx_ring_num);
 	en_warn(priv, "Using %d RX rings\n", prof->rx_ring_num);