diff --git a/drivers/base/core.c b/drivers/base/core.c
index fe8601197b84..5827dbff7f21 100644
--- a/drivers/base/core.c
+++ b/drivers/base/core.c
@@ -229,7 +229,8 @@ int device_is_dependent(struct device *dev, void *target)
 		return ret;
 
 	list_for_each_entry(link, &dev->links.consumers, s_node) {
-		if (link->flags == (DL_FLAG_SYNC_STATE_ONLY | DL_FLAG_MANAGED))
+		if ((link->flags & ~DL_FLAG_INFERRED) ==
+		    (DL_FLAG_SYNC_STATE_ONLY | DL_FLAG_MANAGED))
 			continue;
 
 		if (link->consumer == target)
@@ -302,7 +303,8 @@ static int device_reorder_to_tail(struct device *dev, void *not_used)
 
 	device_for_each_child(dev, NULL, device_reorder_to_tail);
 	list_for_each_entry(link, &dev->links.consumers, s_node) {
-		if (link->flags == (DL_FLAG_SYNC_STATE_ONLY | DL_FLAG_MANAGED))
+		if ((link->flags & ~DL_FLAG_INFERRED) ==
+		    (DL_FLAG_SYNC_STATE_ONLY | DL_FLAG_MANAGED))
 			continue;
 		device_reorder_to_tail(link->consumer, NULL);
 	}
@@ -546,7 +548,8 @@ postcore_initcall(devlink_class_init);
 #define DL_MANAGED_LINK_FLAGS (DL_FLAG_AUTOREMOVE_CONSUMER | \
 			       DL_FLAG_AUTOREMOVE_SUPPLIER | \
 			       DL_FLAG_AUTOPROBE_CONSUMER  | \
-			       DL_FLAG_SYNC_STATE_ONLY)
+			       DL_FLAG_SYNC_STATE_ONLY | \
+			       DL_FLAG_INFERRED)
 
 #define DL_ADD_VALID_FLAGS (DL_MANAGED_LINK_FLAGS | DL_FLAG_STATELESS | \
 			    DL_FLAG_PM_RUNTIME | DL_FLAG_RPM_ACTIVE)
@@ -615,7 +618,7 @@ struct device_link *device_link_add(struct device *consumer,
 	if (!consumer || !supplier || flags & ~DL_ADD_VALID_FLAGS ||
 	    (flags & DL_FLAG_STATELESS && flags & DL_MANAGED_LINK_FLAGS) ||
 	    (flags & DL_FLAG_SYNC_STATE_ONLY &&
-	     flags != DL_FLAG_SYNC_STATE_ONLY) ||
+	     (flags & ~DL_FLAG_INFERRED) != DL_FLAG_SYNC_STATE_ONLY) ||
 	    (flags & DL_FLAG_AUTOPROBE_CONSUMER &&
 	     flags & (DL_FLAG_AUTOREMOVE_CONSUMER |
 		      DL_FLAG_AUTOREMOVE_SUPPLIER)))
@@ -671,6 +674,10 @@ struct device_link *device_link_add(struct device *consumer,
 		if (link->consumer != consumer)
 			continue;
 
+		if (link->flags & DL_FLAG_INFERRED &&
+		    !(flags & DL_FLAG_INFERRED))
+			link->flags &= ~DL_FLAG_INFERRED;
+
 		if (flags & DL_FLAG_PM_RUNTIME) {
 			if (!(link->flags & DL_FLAG_PM_RUNTIME)) {
 				pm_runtime_new_link(consumer);
diff --git a/include/linux/device.h b/include/linux/device.h
index 89bb8b84173e..cb5eb2e58c25 100644
--- a/include/linux/device.h
+++ b/include/linux/device.h
@@ -323,6 +323,7 @@ enum device_link_state {
  * AUTOPROBE_CONSUMER: Probe consumer driver automatically after supplier binds.
  * MANAGED: The core tracks presence of supplier/consumer drivers (internal).
  * SYNC_STATE_ONLY: Link only affects sync_state() behavior.
+ * INFERRED: Inferred from data (eg: firmware) and not from driver actions.
  */
 #define DL_FLAG_STATELESS		BIT(0)
 #define DL_FLAG_AUTOREMOVE_CONSUMER	BIT(1)
@@ -332,6 +333,7 @@ enum device_link_state {
 #define DL_FLAG_AUTOPROBE_CONSUMER	BIT(5)
 #define DL_FLAG_MANAGED			BIT(6)
 #define DL_FLAG_SYNC_STATE_ONLY		BIT(7)
+#define DL_FLAG_INFERRED		BIT(8)
 
 /**
  * enum dl_dev_state - Device driver presence tracking information.