diff --git a/datapath/datapath.c b/datapath/datapath.c
index ebab68c7dd5..de912f654c4 100644
--- a/datapath/datapath.c
+++ b/datapath/datapath.c
@@ -2149,10 +2149,14 @@ static int __init dp_init(void)
 	if (err)
 		goto error;
 
-	err = ovs_flow_init();
+	err = ovs_internal_dev_rtnl_link_register();
 	if (err)
 		goto error_action_fifos_exit;
 
+	err = ovs_flow_init();
+	if (err)
+		goto error_unreg_rtnl_link;
+
 	err = ovs_vport_init();
 	if (err)
 		goto error_flow_exit;
@@ -2179,6 +2183,8 @@ static int __init dp_init(void)
 	ovs_vport_exit();
 error_flow_exit:
 	ovs_flow_exit();
+error_unreg_rtnl_link:
+	ovs_internal_dev_rtnl_link_unregister();
 error_action_fifos_exit:
 	action_fifos_exit();
 error:
@@ -2193,6 +2199,7 @@ static void dp_cleanup(void)
 	rcu_barrier();
 	ovs_vport_exit();
 	ovs_flow_exit();
+	ovs_internal_dev_rtnl_link_unregister();
 	action_fifos_exit();
 }
 
diff --git a/datapath/vport-internal_dev.c b/datapath/vport-internal_dev.c
index 997bb3ff257..b698f6f19c1 100644
--- a/datapath/vport-internal_dev.c
+++ b/datapath/vport-internal_dev.c
@@ -143,6 +143,10 @@ static const struct net_device_ops internal_dev_netdev_ops = {
 #endif
 };
 
+static struct rtnl_link_ops internal_dev_link_ops __read_mostly = {
+	.kind = "openvswitch",
+};
+
 static void do_setup(struct net_device *netdev)
 {
 	ether_setup(netdev);
@@ -153,6 +157,7 @@ static void do_setup(struct net_device *netdev)
 	netdev->priv_flags |= IFF_LIVE_ADDR_CHANGE;
 	netdev->destructor = internal_dev_destructor;
 	netdev->ethtool_ops = &internal_dev_ethtool_ops;
+	netdev->rtnl_link_ops = &internal_dev_link_ops;
 	netdev->tx_queue_len = 0;
 
 	netdev->features = NETIF_F_LLTX | NETIF_F_SG | NETIF_F_FRAGLIST |
@@ -300,3 +305,13 @@ struct vport *ovs_internal_dev_get_vport(struct net_device *netdev)
 
 	return internal_dev_priv(netdev)->vport;
 }
+
+int ovs_internal_dev_rtnl_link_register(void)
+{
+	return rtnl_link_register(&internal_dev_link_ops);
+}
+
+void ovs_internal_dev_rtnl_link_unregister(void)
+{
+	rtnl_link_unregister(&internal_dev_link_ops);
+}
diff --git a/datapath/vport-internal_dev.h b/datapath/vport-internal_dev.h
index 9a7d30ecc6a..1b179a190cf 100644
--- a/datapath/vport-internal_dev.h
+++ b/datapath/vport-internal_dev.h
@@ -24,5 +24,7 @@
 
 int ovs_is_internal_dev(const struct net_device *);
 struct vport *ovs_internal_dev_get_vport(struct net_device *);
+int ovs_internal_dev_rtnl_link_register(void);
+void ovs_internal_dev_rtnl_link_unregister(void);
 
 #endif /* vport-internal_dev.h */