diff --git a/drivers/net/i40e/i40e_ethdev.c b/drivers/net/i40e/i40e_ethdev.c
index 755786dc10..3b915f20cd 100644
--- a/drivers/net/i40e/i40e_ethdev.c
+++ b/drivers/net/i40e/i40e_ethdev.c
@@ -2403,12 +2403,22 @@ i40e_dev_start(struct rte_eth_dev *dev)
 
 	/* Enable all queues which have been configured */
 	for (nb_rxq = 0; nb_rxq < dev->data->nb_rx_queues; nb_rxq++) {
+		struct i40e_rx_queue *rxq = dev->data->rx_queues[nb_rxq];
+
+		if (rxq->rx_deferred_start)
+			continue;
+
 		ret = i40e_dev_rx_queue_start(dev, nb_rxq);
 		if (ret)
 			goto rx_err;
 	}
 
 	for (nb_txq = 0; nb_txq < dev->data->nb_tx_queues; nb_txq++) {
+		struct i40e_tx_queue *txq = dev->data->tx_queues[nb_txq];
+
+		if (txq->tx_deferred_start)
+			continue;
+
 		ret = i40e_dev_tx_queue_start(dev, nb_txq);
 		if (ret)
 			goto tx_err;