diff --git a/drivers/ntb/hw/mscc/ntb_hw_switchtec.c b/drivers/ntb/hw/mscc/ntb_hw_switchtec.c
index a26e3d0cf457..7e3e16c04eef 100644
--- a/drivers/ntb/hw/mscc/ntb_hw_switchtec.c
+++ b/drivers/ntb/hw/mscc/ntb_hw_switchtec.c
@@ -95,7 +95,8 @@ struct switchtec_ntb {
 	bool link_is_up;
 	enum ntb_speed link_speed;
 	enum ntb_width link_width;
-	struct work_struct link_reinit_work;
+	struct work_struct check_link_status_work;
+	bool link_force_down;
 };
 
 static struct switchtec_ntb *ntb_sndev(struct ntb_dev *ntb)
@@ -494,33 +495,11 @@ enum switchtec_msg {
 
 static int switchtec_ntb_reinit_peer(struct switchtec_ntb *sndev);
 
-static void link_reinit_work(struct work_struct *work)
-{
-	struct switchtec_ntb *sndev;
-
-	sndev = container_of(work, struct switchtec_ntb, link_reinit_work);
-
-	switchtec_ntb_reinit_peer(sndev);
-}
-
-static void switchtec_ntb_check_link(struct switchtec_ntb *sndev,
-				     enum switchtec_msg msg)
+static void switchtec_ntb_link_status_update(struct switchtec_ntb *sndev)
 {
 	int link_sta;
 	int old = sndev->link_is_up;
 
-	if (msg == MSG_LINK_FORCE_DOWN) {
-		schedule_work(&sndev->link_reinit_work);
-
-		if (sndev->link_is_up) {
-			sndev->link_is_up = 0;
-			ntb_link_event(&sndev->ntb);
-			dev_info(&sndev->stdev->dev, "ntb link forced down\n");
-		}
-
-		return;
-	}
-
 	link_sta = sndev->self_shared->link_sta;
 	if (link_sta) {
 		u64 peer = ioread64(&sndev->peer_shared->magic);
@@ -545,6 +524,38 @@ static void switchtec_ntb_check_link(struct switchtec_ntb *sndev,
 	}
 }
 
+static void check_link_status_work(struct work_struct *work)
+{
+	struct switchtec_ntb *sndev;
+
+	sndev = container_of(work, struct switchtec_ntb,
+			     check_link_status_work);
+
+	if (sndev->link_force_down) {
+		sndev->link_force_down = false;
+		switchtec_ntb_reinit_peer(sndev);
+
+		if (sndev->link_is_up) {
+			sndev->link_is_up = 0;
+			ntb_link_event(&sndev->ntb);
+			dev_info(&sndev->stdev->dev, "ntb link forced down\n");
+		}
+
+		return;
+	}
+
+	switchtec_ntb_link_status_update(sndev);
+}
+
+static void switchtec_ntb_check_link(struct switchtec_ntb *sndev,
+				      enum switchtec_msg msg)
+{
+	if (msg == MSG_LINK_FORCE_DOWN)
+		sndev->link_force_down = true;
+
+	schedule_work(&sndev->check_link_status_work);
+}
+
 static void switchtec_ntb_link_notification(struct switchtec_dev *stdev)
 {
 	struct switchtec_ntb *sndev = stdev->sndev;
@@ -577,7 +588,7 @@ static int switchtec_ntb_link_enable(struct ntb_dev *ntb,
 	sndev->self_shared->link_sta = 1;
 	switchtec_ntb_send_msg(sndev, LINK_MESSAGE, MSG_LINK_UP);
 
-	switchtec_ntb_check_link(sndev, MSG_CHECK_LINK);
+	switchtec_ntb_link_status_update(sndev);
 
 	return 0;
 }
@@ -591,7 +602,7 @@ static int switchtec_ntb_link_disable(struct ntb_dev *ntb)
 	sndev->self_shared->link_sta = 0;
 	switchtec_ntb_send_msg(sndev, LINK_MESSAGE, MSG_LINK_DOWN);
 
-	switchtec_ntb_check_link(sndev, MSG_CHECK_LINK);
+	switchtec_ntb_link_status_update(sndev);
 
 	return 0;
 }
@@ -844,7 +855,8 @@ static int switchtec_ntb_init_sndev(struct switchtec_ntb *sndev)
 	sndev->ntb.topo = NTB_TOPO_SWITCH;
 	sndev->ntb.ops = &switchtec_ntb_ops;
 
-	INIT_WORK(&sndev->link_reinit_work, link_reinit_work);
+	INIT_WORK(&sndev->check_link_status_work, check_link_status_work);
+	sndev->link_force_down = false;
 
 	sndev->self_partition = sndev->stdev->partition;