diff --git a/drivers/net/ixgbe/ixgbe_82598.c b/drivers/net/ixgbe/ixgbe_82598.c
index de4db0dc7879..63aacd53aab7 100644
--- a/drivers/net/ixgbe/ixgbe_82598.c
+++ b/drivers/net/ixgbe/ixgbe_82598.c
@@ -322,6 +322,7 @@ static s32 ixgbe_fc_enable_82598(struct ixgbe_hw *hw, s32 packetbuf_num)
 	}
 
 	/* Enable 802.3x based flow control settings. */
+	fctrl_reg |= IXGBE_FCTRL_DPF;
 	IXGBE_WRITE_REG(hw, IXGBE_FCTRL, fctrl_reg);
 	IXGBE_WRITE_REG(hw, IXGBE_RMCS, rmcs_reg);
 
diff --git a/drivers/net/ixgbe/ixgbe_common.c b/drivers/net/ixgbe/ixgbe_common.c
index 63ab6671d08e..846c9deeaa7a 100644
--- a/drivers/net/ixgbe/ixgbe_common.c
+++ b/drivers/net/ixgbe/ixgbe_common.c
@@ -1700,6 +1700,7 @@ s32 ixgbe_fc_enable(struct ixgbe_hw *hw, s32 packetbuf_num)
 	}
 
 	/* Enable 802.3x based flow control settings. */
+	mflcn_reg |= IXGBE_MFLCN_DPF;
 	IXGBE_WRITE_REG(hw, IXGBE_MFLCN, mflcn_reg);
 	IXGBE_WRITE_REG(hw, IXGBE_FCCFG, fccfg_reg);