diff --git a/modules/mqnic/mqnic.h b/modules/mqnic/mqnic.h
index 7039bdd86..d501c832e 100644
--- a/modules/mqnic/mqnic.h
+++ b/modules/mqnic/mqnic.h
@@ -49,6 +49,7 @@
 #include <linux/etherdevice.h>
 #include <linux/net_tstamp.h>
 #include <linux/ptp_clock_kernel.h>
+#include <linux/timer.h>
 
 #include <linux/i2c.h>
 #include <linux/i2c-algo-bit.h>
@@ -66,10 +67,15 @@
 #define MQNIC_PROP_MODULE_EEPROM "module-eeproms"
 #endif
 
+// default interval to poll port TX/RX status, in ms
+#define MQNIC_LINK_STATUS_POLL_MS 1000
+
 extern unsigned int mqnic_num_ev_queue_entries;
 extern unsigned int mqnic_num_tx_queue_entries;
 extern unsigned int mqnic_num_rx_queue_entries;
 
+extern unsigned int mqnic_link_status_poll;
+
 struct mqnic_dev;
 struct mqnic_if;
 
@@ -456,6 +462,9 @@ struct mqnic_priv {
 
 	u32 if_features;
 
+	unsigned int link_status;
+	struct timer_list link_status_timer;
+
 	u32 event_queue_count;
 	struct mqnic_eq_ring *event_ring[MQNIC_MAX_EVENT_RINGS];
 
diff --git a/modules/mqnic/mqnic_main.c b/modules/mqnic/mqnic_main.c
index 289029d28..a696239d1 100644
--- a/modules/mqnic/mqnic_main.c
+++ b/modules/mqnic/mqnic_main.c
@@ -59,6 +59,13 @@ MODULE_PARM_DESC(num_tx_queue_entries, "number of entries to allocate per transm
 module_param_named(num_rx_queue_entries, mqnic_num_rx_queue_entries, uint, 0444);
 MODULE_PARM_DESC(num_rx_queue_entries, "number of entries to allocate per receive queue (default: 1024)");
 
+unsigned int mqnic_link_status_poll = MQNIC_LINK_STATUS_POLL_MS;
+
+module_param_named(link_status_poll, mqnic_link_status_poll, uint, 0444);
+MODULE_PARM_DESC(link_status_poll,
+		 "link status polling interval, in ms (default: 1000; 0 to turn off)");
+
+
 #ifdef CONFIG_PCI
 static const struct pci_device_id mqnic_pci_id_table[] = {
 	{PCI_DEVICE(0x1234, 0x1001)},
diff --git a/modules/mqnic/mqnic_netdev.c b/modules/mqnic/mqnic_netdev.c
index f529b3078..06568af9d 100644
--- a/modules/mqnic/mqnic_netdev.c
+++ b/modules/mqnic/mqnic_netdev.c
@@ -99,8 +99,11 @@ static int mqnic_start_port(struct net_device *ndev)
 	netif_tx_start_all_queues(ndev);
 	netif_device_attach(ndev);
 
-	//netif_carrier_off(ndev);
-	netif_carrier_on(ndev); // TODO link status monitoring
+	if (mqnic_link_status_poll)
+		mod_timer(&priv->link_status_timer,
+				jiffies + msecs_to_jiffies(mqnic_link_status_poll));
+	else
+		netif_carrier_on(ndev);
 
 	return 0;
 }
@@ -114,6 +117,9 @@ static int mqnic_stop_port(struct net_device *ndev)
 	dev_info(mdev->dev, "%s on interface %d netdev %d", __func__,
 			priv->interface->index, priv->index);
 
+	if (mqnic_link_status_poll)
+		del_timer_sync(&priv->link_status_timer);
+
 	netif_tx_lock_bh(ndev);
 //	if (detach)
 //		netif_device_detach(ndev);
@@ -359,6 +365,40 @@ static const struct net_device_ops mqnic_netdev_ops = {
 #endif
 };
 
+static void mqnic_link_status_timeout(struct timer_list *timer)
+{
+	struct mqnic_priv *priv = from_timer(priv, timer, link_status_timer);
+	struct mqnic_if *interface = priv->interface;
+	int k;
+	unsigned int up;
+
+	// "combine" all TX/RX status signals of all ports of this interface
+	for (k = 0, up = 0; k < interface->port_count; k++) {
+		if (!(mqnic_port_get_tx_status(interface->port[k]) & 0x1))
+			continue;
+		if (!(mqnic_port_get_rx_status(interface->port[k]) & 0x1))
+			continue;
+
+		up++;
+	}
+
+	if (up < interface->port_count) {
+		// report carrier off, as soon as a one port's TX/RX status is deasserted
+		if (priv->link_status) {
+			netif_carrier_off(priv->ndev);
+			priv->link_status = !priv->link_status;
+		}
+	} else {
+		// report carrier on, as soon as all ports' TX/RX status is asserted
+		if (!priv->link_status) {
+			netif_carrier_on(priv->ndev);
+			priv->link_status = !priv->link_status;
+		}
+	}
+
+	mod_timer(&priv->link_status_timer, jiffies + msecs_to_jiffies(mqnic_link_status_poll));
+}
+
 int mqnic_create_netdev(struct mqnic_if *interface, struct net_device **ndev_ptr,
 		int index, int dev_port)
 {
@@ -502,6 +542,10 @@ int mqnic_create_netdev(struct mqnic_if *interface, struct net_device **ndev_ptr
 		ndev->max_mtu = min(interface->max_tx_mtu, interface->max_rx_mtu) - ETH_HLEN;
 
 	netif_carrier_off(ndev);
+	if (mqnic_link_status_poll) {
+		priv->link_status = false;
+		timer_setup(&priv->link_status_timer, mqnic_link_status_timeout, 0);
+	}
 
 	ret = register_netdev(ndev);
 	if (ret) {