diff --git a/drivers/net/ethernet/mellanox/mlx5/core/main.c b/drivers/net/ethernet/mellanox/mlx5/core/main.c
index 2729afc13ab4..e786c5c75dba 100644
--- a/drivers/net/ethernet/mellanox/mlx5/core/main.c
+++ b/drivers/net/ethernet/mellanox/mlx5/core/main.c
@@ -1199,23 +1199,22 @@ int mlx5_load_one(struct mlx5_core_dev *dev, bool boot)
 	if (err)
 		goto err_load;
 
+	set_bit(MLX5_INTERFACE_STATE_UP, &dev->intf_state);
+
 	if (boot) {
 		err = mlx5_devlink_register(priv_to_devlink(dev), dev->device);
 		if (err)
 			goto err_devlink_reg;
-	}
-
-	if (mlx5_device_registered(dev))
-		mlx5_attach_device(dev);
-	else
 		mlx5_register_device(dev);
-
-	set_bit(MLX5_INTERFACE_STATE_UP, &dev->intf_state);
+	} else {
+		mlx5_attach_device(dev);
+	}
 
 	mutex_unlock(&dev->intf_state_mutex);
 	return 0;
 
 err_devlink_reg:
+	clear_bit(MLX5_INTERFACE_STATE_UP, &dev->intf_state);
 	mlx5_unload(dev);
 err_load:
 	if (boot)
@@ -1231,10 +1230,15 @@ out:
 
 void mlx5_unload_one(struct mlx5_core_dev *dev, bool cleanup)
 {
-	if (cleanup)
-		mlx5_unregister_device(dev);
-
 	mutex_lock(&dev->intf_state_mutex);
+
+	if (cleanup) {
+		mlx5_unregister_device(dev);
+		mlx5_devlink_unregister(priv_to_devlink(dev));
+	} else {
+		mlx5_detach_device(dev);
+	}
+
 	if (!test_bit(MLX5_INTERFACE_STATE_UP, &dev->intf_state)) {
 		mlx5_core_warn(dev, "%s: interface is down, NOP\n",
 			       __func__);
@@ -1245,9 +1249,6 @@ void mlx5_unload_one(struct mlx5_core_dev *dev, bool cleanup)
 
 	clear_bit(MLX5_INTERFACE_STATE_UP, &dev->intf_state);
 
-	if (mlx5_device_registered(dev))
-		mlx5_detach_device(dev);
-
 	mlx5_unload(dev);
 
 	if (cleanup)
@@ -1387,8 +1388,6 @@ static void remove_one(struct pci_dev *pdev)
 
 	devlink_reload_disable(devlink);
 	mlx5_crdump_disable(dev);
-	mlx5_devlink_unregister(devlink);
-
 	mlx5_drain_health_wq(dev);
 	mlx5_unload_one(dev, true);
 	mlx5_pci_close(dev);