diff --git a/drivers/net/i40e/i40e_ethdev.c b/drivers/net/i40e/i40e_ethdev.c
index ecfa3c94db..755786dc10 100644
--- a/drivers/net/i40e/i40e_ethdev.c
+++ b/drivers/net/i40e/i40e_ethdev.c
@@ -386,6 +386,7 @@ static int i40e_set_default_mac_addr(struct rte_eth_dev *dev,
 				      struct rte_ether_addr *mac_addr);
 
 static int i40e_dev_mtu_set(struct rte_eth_dev *dev, uint16_t mtu);
+static void i40e_set_mac_max_frame(struct rte_eth_dev *dev, uint16_t size);
 
 static int i40e_ethertype_filter_convert(
 	const struct rte_eth_ethertype_filter *input,
@@ -1709,11 +1710,6 @@ eth_i40e_dev_init(struct rte_eth_dev *dev, void *init_params __rte_unused)
 	 */
 	i40e_add_tx_flow_control_drop_filter(pf);
 
-	/* Set the max frame size to 0x2600 by default,
-	 * in case other drivers changed the default value.
-	 */
-	i40e_aq_set_mac_config(hw, I40E_FRAME_SIZE_MAX, TRUE, false, 0, NULL);
-
 	/* initialize RSS rule list */
 	TAILQ_INIT(&pf->rss_config_list);
 
@@ -2355,6 +2351,7 @@ i40e_dev_start(struct rte_eth_dev *dev)
 	uint32_t intr_vector = 0;
 	struct i40e_vsi *vsi;
 	uint16_t nb_rxq, nb_txq;
+	uint16_t max_frame_size;
 
 	hw->adapter_stopped = 0;
 
@@ -2493,6 +2490,9 @@ i40e_dev_start(struct rte_eth_dev *dev)
 			    "please call hierarchy_commit() "
 			    "before starting the port");
 
+	max_frame_size = dev->data->mtu + I40E_ETH_OVERHEAD;
+	i40e_set_mac_max_frame(dev, max_frame_size);
+
 	return I40E_SUCCESS;
 
 tx_err:
@@ -2839,6 +2839,9 @@ i40e_dev_set_link_down(struct rte_eth_dev *dev)
 	return i40e_phy_conf_link(hw, abilities, speed, false);
 }
 
+#define CHECK_INTERVAL             100  /* 100ms */
+#define MAX_REPEAT_TIME            10  /* 1s (10 * 100ms) in total */
+
 static __rte_always_inline void
 update_link_reg(struct i40e_hw *hw, struct rte_eth_link *link)
 {
@@ -2905,8 +2908,6 @@ static __rte_always_inline void
 update_link_aq(struct i40e_hw *hw, struct rte_eth_link *link,
 	bool enable_lse, int wait_to_complete)
 {
-#define CHECK_INTERVAL             100  /* 100ms */
-#define MAX_REPEAT_TIME            10  /* 1s (10 * 100ms) in total */
 	uint32_t rep_cnt = MAX_REPEAT_TIME;
 	struct i40e_link_status link_status;
 	int status;
@@ -6710,6 +6711,7 @@ i40e_dev_handle_aq_msg(struct rte_eth_dev *dev)
 			if (!ret)
 				rte_eth_dev_callback_process(dev,
 					RTE_ETH_EVENT_INTR_LSC, NULL);
+
 			break;
 		default:
 			PMD_DRV_LOG(DEBUG, "Request %u is not supported yet",
@@ -12094,6 +12096,31 @@ i40e_cloud_filter_qinq_create(struct i40e_pf *pf)
 	return ret;
 }
 
+static void
+i40e_set_mac_max_frame(struct rte_eth_dev *dev, uint16_t size)
+{
+	struct i40e_hw *hw = I40E_DEV_PRIVATE_TO_HW(dev->data->dev_private);
+	uint32_t rep_cnt = MAX_REPEAT_TIME;
+	struct rte_eth_link link;
+	enum i40e_status_code status;
+
+	do {
+		update_link_reg(hw, &link);
+		if (link.link_status)
+			break;
+
+		rte_delay_ms(CHECK_INTERVAL);
+	} while (--rep_cnt);
+
+	if (link.link_status) {
+		status = i40e_aq_set_mac_config(hw, size, TRUE, 0, false, NULL);
+		if (status != I40E_SUCCESS)
+			PMD_DRV_LOG(ERR, "Failed to set max frame size at port level");
+	} else {
+		PMD_DRV_LOG(ERR, "Set max frame size at port level not applicable on link down");
+	}
+}
+
 RTE_LOG_REGISTER_SUFFIX(i40e_logtype_init, init, NOTICE);
 RTE_LOG_REGISTER_SUFFIX(i40e_logtype_driver, driver, NOTICE);
 #ifdef RTE_ETHDEV_DEBUG_RX