diff --git a/drivers/net/ethernet/mellanox/mlx5/core/en_rep.c b/drivers/net/ethernet/mellanox/mlx5/core/en_rep.c
index e0d1a561308f..5e33f6bb16e4 100644
--- a/drivers/net/ethernet/mellanox/mlx5/core/en_rep.c
+++ b/drivers/net/ethernet/mellanox/mlx5/core/en_rep.c
@@ -236,6 +236,35 @@ void mlx5e_nic_rep_unload(struct mlx5_eswitch *esw,
 	mlx5e_tc_init(priv);
 }
 
+static int mlx5e_rep_open(struct net_device *dev)
+{
+	struct mlx5e_priv *priv = netdev_priv(dev);
+	struct mlx5_eswitch_rep *rep = priv->ppriv;
+	struct mlx5_eswitch *esw = priv->mdev->priv.eswitch;
+	int err;
+
+	err = mlx5e_open(dev);
+	if (err)
+		return err;
+
+	err = mlx5_eswitch_set_vport_state(esw, rep->vport, MLX5_ESW_VPORT_ADMIN_STATE_UP);
+	if (!err)
+		netif_carrier_on(dev);
+
+	return 0;
+}
+
+static int mlx5e_rep_close(struct net_device *dev)
+{
+	struct mlx5e_priv *priv = netdev_priv(dev);
+	struct mlx5_eswitch_rep *rep = priv->ppriv;
+	struct mlx5_eswitch *esw = priv->mdev->priv.eswitch;
+
+	(void)mlx5_eswitch_set_vport_state(esw, rep->vport, MLX5_ESW_VPORT_ADMIN_STATE_DOWN);
+
+	return mlx5e_close(dev);
+}
+
 static int mlx5e_rep_get_phys_port_name(struct net_device *dev,
 					char *buf, size_t len)
 {
@@ -349,8 +378,8 @@ static const struct switchdev_ops mlx5e_rep_switchdev_ops = {
 };
 
 static const struct net_device_ops mlx5e_netdev_ops_rep = {
-	.ndo_open                = mlx5e_open,
-	.ndo_stop                = mlx5e_close,
+	.ndo_open                = mlx5e_rep_open,
+	.ndo_stop                = mlx5e_rep_close,
 	.ndo_start_xmit          = mlx5e_xmit,
 	.ndo_get_phys_port_name  = mlx5e_rep_get_phys_port_name,
 	.ndo_setup_tc            = mlx5e_rep_ndo_setup_tc,