diff --git a/drivers/net/ethernet/microsoft/mana/mana_en.c b/drivers/net/ethernet/microsoft/mana/mana_en.c
index 6302432b9bf6..e3e4b6de6668 100644
--- a/drivers/net/ethernet/microsoft/mana/mana_en.c
+++ b/drivers/net/ethernet/microsoft/mana/mana_en.c
@@ -3631,6 +3631,8 @@ int mana_probe(struct gdma_dev *gd, bool resuming)
 
 		ac->gdma_dev = gd;
 		gd->driver_data = ac;
+
+		INIT_WORK(&ac->link_change_work, mana_link_state_handle);
 	}
 
 	err = mana_create_eq(ac);
@@ -3648,8 +3650,6 @@ int mana_probe(struct gdma_dev *gd, bool resuming)
 
 	if (!resuming) {
 		ac->num_ports = num_ports;
-
-		INIT_WORK(&ac->link_change_work, mana_link_state_handle);
 	} else {
 		if (ac->num_ports != num_ports) {
 			dev_err(dev, "The number of vPorts changed: %d->%d\n",