diff --git a/drivers/net/ixgbe/ixgbe_ethdev.c b/drivers/net/ixgbe/ixgbe_ethdev.c
index 7ea1962f6..2d692e54c 100644
--- a/drivers/net/ixgbe/ixgbe_ethdev.c
+++ b/drivers/net/ixgbe/ixgbe_ethdev.c
@@ -229,7 +229,8 @@ static int ixgbe_dev_interrupt_get_status(struct rte_eth_dev *dev);
 static int ixgbe_dev_interrupt_action(struct rte_eth_dev *dev);
 static void ixgbe_dev_interrupt_handler(void *param);
 static void ixgbe_dev_interrupt_delayed_handler(void *param);
-static void ixgbe_dev_setup_link_alarm_handler(void *param);
+static void *ixgbe_dev_setup_link_thread_handler(void *param);
+static void ixgbe_dev_cannel_link_thread(struct rte_eth_dev *dev);
 
 static int ixgbe_add_rar(struct rte_eth_dev *dev,
 			struct rte_ether_addr *mac_addr,
@@ -1078,6 +1079,7 @@ ixgbe_swfw_lock_reset(struct ixgbe_hw *hw)
 static int
 eth_ixgbe_dev_init(struct rte_eth_dev *eth_dev, void *init_params __rte_unused)
 {
+	struct ixgbe_adapter *ad = eth_dev->data->dev_private;
 	struct rte_pci_device *pci_dev = RTE_ETH_DEV_TO_PCI(eth_dev);
 	struct rte_intr_handle *intr_handle = &pci_dev->intr_handle;
 	struct ixgbe_hw *hw =
@@ -1129,6 +1131,7 @@ eth_ixgbe_dev_init(struct rte_eth_dev *eth_dev, void *init_params __rte_unused)
 		return 0;
 	}
 
+	rte_atomic32_clear(&ad->link_thread_running);
 	rte_eth_copy_pci_info(eth_dev, pci_dev);
 
 	/* Vendor and Device ID need to be set before init of shared code */
@@ -1567,6 +1570,7 @@ eth_ixgbevf_dev_init(struct rte_eth_dev *eth_dev)
 {
 	int diag;
 	uint32_t tc, tcs;
+	struct ixgbe_adapter *ad = eth_dev->data->dev_private;
 	struct rte_pci_device *pci_dev = RTE_ETH_DEV_TO_PCI(eth_dev);
 	struct rte_intr_handle *intr_handle = &pci_dev->intr_handle;
 	struct ixgbe_hw *hw =
@@ -1607,6 +1611,7 @@ eth_ixgbevf_dev_init(struct rte_eth_dev *eth_dev)
 		return 0;
 	}
 
+	rte_atomic32_clear(&ad->link_thread_running);
 	ixgbevf_parse_devargs(eth_dev->data->dev_private,
 			      pci_dev->device.devargs);
 
@@ -2563,7 +2568,7 @@ ixgbe_dev_start(struct rte_eth_dev *dev)
 	PMD_INIT_FUNC_TRACE();
 
 	/* Stop the link setup handler before resetting the HW. */
-	rte_eal_alarm_cancel(ixgbe_dev_setup_link_alarm_handler, dev);
+	ixgbe_dev_cannel_link_thread(dev);
 
 	/* disable uio/vfio intr/eventfd mapping */
 	rte_intr_disable(intr_handle);
@@ -2844,7 +2849,7 @@ ixgbe_dev_stop(struct rte_eth_dev *dev)
 
 	PMD_INIT_FUNC_TRACE();
 
-	rte_eal_alarm_cancel(ixgbe_dev_setup_link_alarm_handler, dev);
+	ixgbe_dev_cannel_link_thread(dev);
 
 	/* disable interrupts */
 	ixgbe_disable_intr(hw);
@@ -4098,9 +4103,23 @@ ixgbevf_check_link(struct ixgbe_hw *hw, ixgbe_link_speed *speed,
 }
 
 static void
-ixgbe_dev_setup_link_alarm_handler(void *param)
+ixgbe_dev_cannel_link_thread(struct rte_eth_dev *dev)
+{
+	struct ixgbe_adapter *ad = dev->data->dev_private;
+	void *retval;
+
+	if (rte_atomic32_read(&ad->link_thread_running)) {
+		pthread_cancel(ad->link_thread_tid);
+		pthread_join(ad->link_thread_tid, &retval);
+		rte_atomic32_clear(&ad->link_thread_running);
+	}
+}
+
+static void *
+ixgbe_dev_setup_link_thread_handler(void *param)
 {
 	struct rte_eth_dev *dev = (struct rte_eth_dev *)param;
+	struct ixgbe_adapter *ad = dev->data->dev_private;
 	struct ixgbe_hw *hw = IXGBE_DEV_PRIVATE_TO_HW(dev->data->dev_private);
 	struct ixgbe_interrupt *intr =
 		IXGBE_DEV_PRIVATE_TO_INTR(dev->data->dev_private);
@@ -4114,6 +4133,8 @@ ixgbe_dev_setup_link_alarm_handler(void *param)
 	ixgbe_setup_link(hw, speed, true);
 
 	intr->flags &= ~IXGBE_FLAG_NEED_LINK_CONFIG;
+	rte_atomic32_clear(&ad->link_thread_running);
+	return NULL;
 }
 
 /*
@@ -4153,6 +4174,7 @@ ixgbe_dev_link_update_share(struct rte_eth_dev *dev,
 			    int wait_to_complete, int vf)
 {
 	struct ixgbe_hw *hw = IXGBE_DEV_PRIVATE_TO_HW(dev->data->dev_private);
+	struct ixgbe_adapter *ad = dev->data->dev_private;
 	struct rte_eth_link link;
 	ixgbe_link_speed link_speed = IXGBE_LINK_SPEED_UNKNOWN;
 	struct ixgbe_interrupt *intr =
@@ -4198,8 +4220,20 @@ ixgbe_dev_link_update_share(struct rte_eth_dev *dev,
 	if (link_up == 0) {
 		if (ixgbe_get_media_type(hw) == ixgbe_media_type_fiber) {
 			intr->flags |= IXGBE_FLAG_NEED_LINK_CONFIG;
-			rte_eal_alarm_set(10,
-				ixgbe_dev_setup_link_alarm_handler, dev);
+			if (rte_atomic32_test_and_set(&ad->link_thread_running)) {
+				if (rte_ctrl_thread_create(&ad->link_thread_tid,
+					"ixgbe-link-handler",
+					NULL,
+					ixgbe_dev_setup_link_thread_handler,
+					dev) < 0) {
+					PMD_DRV_LOG(ERR,
+						"Create link thread failed!");
+					rte_atomic32_clear(&ad->link_thread_running);
+				}
+			} else {
+				PMD_DRV_LOG(ERR,
+					"Other link thread is running now!");
+			}
 		}
 		return rte_eth_linkstatus_set(dev, &link);
 	}
@@ -5243,7 +5277,7 @@ ixgbevf_dev_start(struct rte_eth_dev *dev)
 	PMD_INIT_FUNC_TRACE();
 
 	/* Stop the link setup handler before resetting the HW. */
-	rte_eal_alarm_cancel(ixgbe_dev_setup_link_alarm_handler, dev);
+	ixgbe_dev_cannel_link_thread(dev);
 
 	err = hw->mac.ops.reset_hw(hw);
 	if (err) {
@@ -5341,7 +5375,7 @@ ixgbevf_dev_stop(struct rte_eth_dev *dev)
 
 	PMD_INIT_FUNC_TRACE();
 
-	rte_eal_alarm_cancel(ixgbe_dev_setup_link_alarm_handler, dev);
+	ixgbe_dev_cannel_link_thread(dev);
 
 	ixgbevf_intr_disable(dev);
 
diff --git a/drivers/net/ixgbe/ixgbe_ethdev.h b/drivers/net/ixgbe/ixgbe_ethdev.h
index e1cd8fd16..5089347a7 100644
--- a/drivers/net/ixgbe/ixgbe_ethdev.h
+++ b/drivers/net/ixgbe/ixgbe_ethdev.h
@@ -511,6 +511,8 @@ struct ixgbe_adapter {
 	 * mailbox status) link status.
 	 */
 	uint8_t pflink_fullchk;
+	rte_atomic32_t link_thread_running;
+	pthread_t link_thread_tid;
 };
 
 struct ixgbe_vf_representor {
