diff --git a/drivers/net/i40e/i40e_ethdev.c b/drivers/net/i40e/i40e_ethdev.c
index 06b0f03a1..843a0c42a 100644
--- a/drivers/net/i40e/i40e_ethdev.c
+++ b/drivers/net/i40e/i40e_ethdev.c
@@ -3195,6 +3195,12 @@ i40e_dev_info_get(struct rte_eth_dev *dev, struct rte_eth_dev_info *dev_info)
 		DEV_TX_OFFLOAD_GRE_TNL_TSO |
 		DEV_TX_OFFLOAD_IPIP_TNL_TSO |
 		DEV_TX_OFFLOAD_GENEVE_TNL_TSO;
+	dev_info->deferred_queue_config_capa =
+		DEV_DEFERRED_RX_QUEUE_SETUP |
+		DEV_DEFERRED_TX_QUEUE_SETUP |
+		DEV_DEFERRED_RX_QUEUE_RELEASE |
+		DEV_DEFERRED_TX_QUEUE_RELEASE;
+
 	dev_info->hash_key_size = (I40E_PFQF_HKEY_MAX_INDEX + 1) *
 						sizeof(uint32_t);
 	dev_info->reta_size = pf->hash_lut_size;
diff --git a/drivers/net/i40e/i40e_rxtx.c b/drivers/net/i40e/i40e_rxtx.c
index 1217e5a61..e5f532cf7 100644
--- a/drivers/net/i40e/i40e_rxtx.c
+++ b/drivers/net/i40e/i40e_rxtx.c
@@ -1712,6 +1712,7 @@ i40e_dev_rx_queue_setup(struct rte_eth_dev *dev,
 	uint16_t len, i;
 	uint16_t reg_idx, base, bsf, tc_mapping;
 	int q_offset, use_def_burst_func = 1;
+	int ret = 0;
 
 	if (hw->mac.type == I40E_MAC_VF || hw->mac.type == I40E_MAC_X722_VF) {
 		vf = I40EVF_DEV_PRIVATE_TO_VF(dev->data->dev_private);
@@ -1841,6 +1842,25 @@ i40e_dev_rx_queue_setup(struct rte_eth_dev *dev,
 			rxq->dcb_tc = i;
 	}
 
+	if (dev->data->dev_started) {
+		ret = i40e_rx_queue_init(rxq);
+		if (ret != I40E_SUCCESS) {
+			PMD_DRV_LOG(ERR,
+				    "Failed to do RX queue initialization");
+			return ret;
+		}
+		if (ad->rx_vec_allowed)
+			i40e_rxq_vec_setup(rxq);
+		if (!rxq->rx_deferred_start) {
+			ret = i40e_dev_rx_queue_start(dev, queue_idx);
+			if (ret != I40E_SUCCESS) {
+				PMD_DRV_LOG(ERR,
+					    "Failed to start RX queue");
+				return ret;
+			}
+		}
+	}
+
 	return 0;
 }
 
@@ -1848,13 +1868,21 @@ void
 i40e_dev_rx_queue_release(void *rxq)
 {
 	struct i40e_rx_queue *q = (struct i40e_rx_queue *)rxq;
+	struct rte_eth_dev *dev = &rte_eth_devices[q->port_id];
 
 	if (!q) {
 		PMD_DRV_LOG(DEBUG, "Pointer to rxq is NULL");
 		return;
 	}
 
-	i40e_rx_queue_release_mbufs(q);
+	if (dev->data->dev_started) {
+		if (dev->data->rx_queue_state[q->queue_id] ==
+			RTE_ETH_QUEUE_STATE_STARTED)
+			i40e_dev_rx_queue_stop(dev, q->queue_id);
+	} else {
+		i40e_rx_queue_release_mbufs(q);
+	}
+
 	rte_free(q->sw_ring);
 	rte_free(q);
 }
@@ -1980,6 +2008,8 @@ i40e_dev_tx_queue_setup(struct rte_eth_dev *dev,
 			const struct rte_eth_txconf *tx_conf)
 {
 	struct i40e_hw *hw = I40E_DEV_PRIVATE_TO_HW(dev->data->dev_private);
+	struct i40e_adapter *ad =
+		I40E_DEV_PRIVATE_TO_ADAPTER(dev->data->dev_private);
 	struct i40e_vsi *vsi;
 	struct i40e_pf *pf = NULL;
 	struct i40e_vf *vf = NULL;
@@ -1989,6 +2019,7 @@ i40e_dev_tx_queue_setup(struct rte_eth_dev *dev,
 	uint16_t tx_rs_thresh, tx_free_thresh;
 	uint16_t reg_idx, i, base, bsf, tc_mapping;
 	int q_offset;
+	int ret = 0;
 
 	if (hw->mac.type == I40E_MAC_VF || hw->mac.type == I40E_MAC_X722_VF) {
 		vf = I40EVF_DEV_PRIVATE_TO_VF(dev->data->dev_private);
@@ -2162,6 +2193,25 @@ i40e_dev_tx_queue_setup(struct rte_eth_dev *dev,
 			txq->dcb_tc = i;
 	}
 
+	if (dev->data->dev_started) {
+		ret = i40e_tx_queue_init(txq);
+		if (ret != I40E_SUCCESS) {
+			PMD_DRV_LOG(ERR,
+				    "Failed to do TX queue initialization");
+			return ret;
+		}
+		if (ad->tx_vec_allowed)
+			i40e_txq_vec_setup(txq);
+		if (!txq->tx_deferred_start) {
+			ret = i40e_dev_tx_queue_start(dev, queue_idx);
+			if (ret != I40E_SUCCESS) {
+				PMD_DRV_LOG(ERR,
+					    "Failed to start TX queue");
+				return ret;
+			}
+		}
+	}
+
 	return 0;
 }
 
@@ -2169,13 +2219,21 @@ void
 i40e_dev_tx_queue_release(void *txq)
 {
 	struct i40e_tx_queue *q = (struct i40e_tx_queue *)txq;
+	struct rte_eth_dev *dev = &rte_eth_devices[q->port_id];
 
 	if (!q) {
 		PMD_DRV_LOG(DEBUG, "Pointer to TX queue is NULL");
 		return;
 	}
 
-	i40e_tx_queue_release_mbufs(q);
+	if (dev->data->dev_started) {
+		if (dev->data->tx_queue_state[q->queue_id] ==
+			RTE_ETH_QUEUE_STATE_STARTED)
+			i40e_dev_tx_queue_stop(dev, q->queue_id);
+	} else {
+		i40e_tx_queue_release_mbufs(q);
+	}
+
 	rte_free(q->sw_ring);
 	rte_free(q);
 }
