diff --git a/drivers/net/ixgbe/ixgbe_82599.c b/drivers/net/ixgbe/ixgbe_82599.c
index d189ba7e8f15..38c384031c4c 100644
--- a/drivers/net/ixgbe/ixgbe_82599.c
+++ b/drivers/net/ixgbe/ixgbe_82599.c
@@ -642,6 +642,7 @@ static s32 ixgbe_setup_mac_link_smartspeed(struct ixgbe_hw *hw,
 	s32 i, j;
 	bool link_up = false;
 	u32 autoc_reg = IXGBE_READ_REG(hw, IXGBE_AUTOC);
+	struct ixgbe_adapter *adapter = hw->back;
 
 	hw_dbg(hw, "ixgbe_setup_mac_link_smartspeed.\n");
 
@@ -726,6 +727,10 @@ static s32 ixgbe_setup_mac_link_smartspeed(struct ixgbe_hw *hw,
 					    autoneg_wait_to_complete);
 
 out:
+	if (link_up && (link_speed == IXGBE_LINK_SPEED_1GB_FULL))
+		netif_info(adapter, hw, adapter->netdev, "Smartspeed has"
+			" downgraded the link speed from the maximum"
+			" advertised\n");
 	return status;
 }