diff --git a/drivers/net/usb/asix.c b/drivers/net/usb/asix.c
index 6ce7f775bb7482a362d4dc1320570847bcfe7511..1bef39a60a6297d06bd1866331f31afccd2c38c3 100644
--- a/drivers/net/usb/asix.c
+++ b/drivers/net/usb/asix.c
@@ -1327,7 +1327,7 @@ static const struct driver_info ax8817x_info = {
 	.status = asix_status,
 	.link_reset = ax88172_link_reset,
 	.reset = ax88172_link_reset,
-	.flags =  FLAG_ETHER,
+	.flags =  FLAG_ETHER | FLAG_LINK_INTR,
 	.data = 0x00130103,
 };
 
@@ -1337,7 +1337,7 @@ static const struct driver_info dlink_dub_e100_info = {
 	.status = asix_status,
 	.link_reset = ax88172_link_reset,
 	.reset = ax88172_link_reset,
-	.flags =  FLAG_ETHER,
+	.flags =  FLAG_ETHER | FLAG_LINK_INTR,
 	.data = 0x009f9d9f,
 };
 
@@ -1347,7 +1347,7 @@ static const struct driver_info netgear_fa120_info = {
 	.status = asix_status,
 	.link_reset = ax88172_link_reset,
 	.reset = ax88172_link_reset,
-	.flags =  FLAG_ETHER,
+	.flags =  FLAG_ETHER | FLAG_LINK_INTR,
 	.data = 0x00130103,
 };
 
@@ -1357,7 +1357,7 @@ static const struct driver_info hawking_uf200_info = {
 	.status = asix_status,
 	.link_reset = ax88172_link_reset,
 	.reset = ax88172_link_reset,
-	.flags =  FLAG_ETHER,
+	.flags =  FLAG_ETHER | FLAG_LINK_INTR,
 	.data = 0x001f1d1f,
 };
 
@@ -1367,7 +1367,7 @@ static const struct driver_info ax88772_info = {
 	.status = asix_status,
 	.link_reset = ax88772_link_reset,
 	.reset = ax88772_link_reset,
-	.flags = FLAG_ETHER | FLAG_FRAMING_AX,
+	.flags = FLAG_ETHER | FLAG_FRAMING_AX | FLAG_LINK_INTR,
 	.rx_fixup = asix_rx_fixup,
 	.tx_fixup = asix_tx_fixup,
 };
@@ -1378,7 +1378,7 @@ static const struct driver_info ax88178_info = {
 	.status = asix_status,
 	.link_reset = ax88178_link_reset,
 	.reset = ax88178_link_reset,
-	.flags = FLAG_ETHER | FLAG_FRAMING_AX,
+	.flags = FLAG_ETHER | FLAG_FRAMING_AX | FLAG_LINK_INTR,
 	.rx_fixup = asix_rx_fixup,
 	.tx_fixup = asix_tx_fixup,
 };
diff --git a/drivers/net/usb/cdc_ether.c b/drivers/net/usb/cdc_ether.c
index 71d7ff3de99fd2fca985d10e19801333f238dddd..7ec24c9b253504f739724bc26dc3ab742a3c9601 100644
--- a/drivers/net/usb/cdc_ether.c
+++ b/drivers/net/usb/cdc_ether.c
@@ -413,7 +413,7 @@ static int cdc_bind(struct usbnet *dev, struct usb_interface *intf)
 
 static const struct driver_info	cdc_info = {
 	.description =	"CDC Ethernet Device",
-	.flags =	FLAG_ETHER,
+	.flags =	FLAG_ETHER | FLAG_LINK_INTR,
 	// .check_connect = cdc_check_connect,
 	.bind =		cdc_bind,
 	.unbind =	usbnet_cdc_unbind,
diff --git a/drivers/net/usb/dm9601.c b/drivers/net/usb/dm9601.c
index a2b30a10064f131e996657fb5f03dd600c528be8..3d406f9b2f29b3e72a23b148d25324b1961b9506 100644
--- a/drivers/net/usb/dm9601.c
+++ b/drivers/net/usb/dm9601.c
@@ -611,7 +611,7 @@ static int dm9601_link_reset(struct usbnet *dev)
 
 static const struct driver_info dm9601_info = {
 	.description	= "Davicom DM9601 USB Ethernet",
-	.flags		= FLAG_ETHER,
+	.flags		= FLAG_ETHER | FLAG_LINK_INTR,
 	.bind		= dm9601_bind,
 	.rx_fixup	= dm9601_rx_fixup,
 	.tx_fixup	= dm9601_tx_fixup,
diff --git a/drivers/net/usb/usbnet.c b/drivers/net/usb/usbnet.c
index 378da8c938fe2dfad0bcabc7e4d95acef4d49f7e..04f3f289e87c36b9b85745a429ba540639f18d21 100644
--- a/drivers/net/usb/usbnet.c
+++ b/drivers/net/usb/usbnet.c
@@ -1352,9 +1352,11 @@ usbnet_probe (struct usb_interface *udev, const struct usb_device_id *prod)
 	// ok, it's ready to go.
 	usb_set_intfdata (udev, dev);
 
-	// start as if the link is up
 	netif_device_attach (net);
 
+	if (dev->driver_info->flags & FLAG_LINK_INTR)
+		netif_carrier_off(net);
+
 	return 0;
 
 out3:
diff --git a/include/linux/usb/usbnet.h b/include/linux/usb/usbnet.h
index 86c31b75326636591050e5cd74442fb8b5096f03..8c84881f8478ce6309fc567656fc4fc55788bb07 100644
--- a/include/linux/usb/usbnet.h
+++ b/include/linux/usb/usbnet.h
@@ -92,6 +92,7 @@ struct driver_info {
 #define FLAG_SEND_ZLP	0x0200		/* hw requires ZLPs are sent */
 #define FLAG_WWAN	0x0400		/* use "wwan%d" names */
 
+#define FLAG_LINK_INTR	0x0800		/* updates link (carrier) status */
 
 	/* init device ... can sleep, or cause probe() failure */
 	int	(*bind)(struct usbnet *, struct usb_interface *);