diff --git a/drivers/net/netxen/netxen_nic.h b/drivers/net/netxen/netxen_nic.h
index 272f8c3c954658e2c457dc09f1327dd228950868..91f25e0a638ea64c21fd42910e4c0a2880abf649 100644
--- a/drivers/net/netxen/netxen_nic.h
+++ b/drivers/net/netxen/netxen_nic.h
@@ -1049,6 +1049,7 @@ int netxen_rom_se(struct netxen_adapter *adapter, int addr);
 int netxen_do_rom_se(struct netxen_adapter *adapter, int addr);
 
 /* Functions from netxen_nic_isr.c */
+int netxen_nic_link_ok(struct netxen_adapter *adapter);
 void netxen_nic_isr_other(struct netxen_adapter *adapter);
 void netxen_indicate_link_status(struct netxen_adapter *adapter, u32 link);
 void netxen_handle_port_int(struct netxen_adapter *adapter, u32 enable);
diff --git a/drivers/net/netxen/netxen_nic_init.c b/drivers/net/netxen/netxen_nic_init.c
index 8e7c4a5bc26a65fa056fe8bc26ca0a267be6bcca..bb23f4c360db39368db8681d8bb74289a5d760a7 100644
--- a/drivers/net/netxen/netxen_nic_init.c
+++ b/drivers/net/netxen/netxen_nic_init.c
@@ -1037,18 +1037,23 @@ void netxen_watchdog_task(struct work_struct *work)
 	if ((adapter->portnum  == 0) && netxen_nic_check_temp(adapter))
 		return;
 
+	if (adapter->handle_phy_intr)
+		adapter->handle_phy_intr(adapter);
+
 	netdev = adapter->netdev;
-	if ((netif_running(netdev)) && !netif_carrier_ok(netdev)) {
-		printk(KERN_INFO "%s port %d, %s carrier is now ok\n",
-		       netxen_nic_driver_name, adapter->portnum, netdev->name);
+	if ((netif_running(netdev)) && !netif_carrier_ok(netdev) &&
+			netxen_nic_link_ok(adapter) ) {
+		printk(KERN_INFO "%s %s (port %d), Link is up\n",
+			       netxen_nic_driver_name, netdev->name, adapter->portnum);
 		netif_carrier_on(netdev);
-	}
-
-	if (netif_queue_stopped(netdev))
 		netif_wake_queue(netdev);
+	} else if(!(netif_running(netdev)) && netif_carrier_ok(netdev)) {
+		printk(KERN_ERR "%s %s Link is Down\n",
+				netxen_nic_driver_name, netdev->name);
+		netif_carrier_off(netdev);
+		netif_stop_queue(netdev);
+	}
 
-	if (adapter->handle_phy_intr)
-		adapter->handle_phy_intr(adapter);
 	mod_timer(&adapter->watchdog_timer, jiffies + 2 * HZ);
 }
 
diff --git a/drivers/net/netxen/netxen_nic_isr.c b/drivers/net/netxen/netxen_nic_isr.c
index b213b062eb567fe777651c1c196ff5d716712a38..b2de6b6c2a7f1f2dc32a0414b823a272c10a1473 100644
--- a/drivers/net/netxen/netxen_nic_isr.c
+++ b/drivers/net/netxen/netxen_nic_isr.c
@@ -169,6 +169,24 @@ void netxen_nic_gbe_handle_phy_intr(struct netxen_adapter *adapter)
 	netxen_nic_isr_other(adapter);
 }
 
+int netxen_nic_link_ok(struct netxen_adapter *adapter)
+{
+	switch (adapter->ahw.board_type) {
+	case NETXEN_NIC_GBE:
+		return ((adapter->ahw.qg_linksup) & 1);
+
+	case NETXEN_NIC_XGBE:
+		return ((adapter->ahw.xg_linkup) & 1);
+
+	default:
+		printk(KERN_ERR"%s: Function: %s, Unknown board type\n",
+			netxen_nic_driver_name, __FUNCTION__);
+		break;
+	}
+
+	return 0;
+}
+
 void netxen_nic_xgbe_handle_phy_intr(struct netxen_adapter *adapter)
 {
 	struct net_device *netdev = adapter->netdev;
@@ -183,6 +201,10 @@ void netxen_nic_xgbe_handle_phy_intr(struct netxen_adapter *adapter)
 		printk(KERN_INFO "%s: %s NIC Link is down\n",
 		       netxen_nic_driver_name, netdev->name);
 		adapter->ahw.xg_linkup = 0;
+		if (netif_running(netdev)) {
+			netif_carrier_off(netdev);
+			netif_stop_queue(netdev);
+		}
 		/* read twice to clear sticky bits */
 		/* WINDOW = 0 */
 		netxen_nic_read_w0(adapter, NETXEN_NIU_XG_STATUS, &val1);
@@ -196,5 +218,7 @@ void netxen_nic_xgbe_handle_phy_intr(struct netxen_adapter *adapter)
 		printk(KERN_INFO "%s: %s NIC Link is up\n",
 		       netxen_nic_driver_name, netdev->name);
 		adapter->ahw.xg_linkup = 1;
+		netif_carrier_on(netdev);
+		netif_wake_queue(netdev);
 	}
 }