diff --git a/drivers/net/mlx5/mlx5.h b/drivers/net/mlx5/mlx5.h
index 1b511e1..3c58f7a 100644
--- a/drivers/net/mlx5/mlx5.h
+++ b/drivers/net/mlx5/mlx5.h
@@ -104,7 +104,6 @@ struct priv {
 	/* Device properties. */
 	uint16_t mtu; /* Configured MTU. */
 	uint8_t port; /* Physical port number. */
-	unsigned int started:1; /* Device started, flows enabled. */
 	unsigned int promisc_req:1; /* Promiscuous mode requested. */
 	unsigned int allmulti_req:1; /* All multicast mode requested. */
 	unsigned int hw_csum:1; /* Checksum offload is supported. */
diff --git a/drivers/net/mlx5/mlx5_flow.c b/drivers/net/mlx5/mlx5_flow.c
index 99dbd8c..3504c43 100644
--- a/drivers/net/mlx5/mlx5_flow.c
+++ b/drivers/net/mlx5/mlx5_flow.c
@@ -1052,7 +1052,7 @@ priv_flow_create_action_queue_drop(struct priv *priv,
 	++flow->ibv_attr->num_of_specs;
 	flow->offset += sizeof(struct ibv_flow_spec_action_drop);
 	rte_flow->ibv_attr = flow->ibv_attr;
-	if (!priv->started)
+	if (!priv->dev->data->dev_started)
 		return rte_flow;
 	rte_flow->qp = priv->flow_drop_queue->qp;
 	rte_flow->ibv_flow = ibv_create_flow(rte_flow->qp,
@@ -1158,7 +1158,7 @@ priv_flow_create_action_queue(struct priv *priv,
 				   NULL, "cannot allocate QP");
 		goto error;
 	}
-	if (!priv->started)
+	if (!priv->dev->data->dev_started)
 		return rte_flow;
 	rte_flow->ibv_flow = ibv_create_flow(rte_flow->qp,
 					     rte_flow->ibv_attr);
@@ -1618,7 +1618,7 @@ mlx5_flow_isolate(struct rte_eth_dev *dev,
 	struct priv *priv = dev->data->dev_private;
 
 	priv_lock(priv);
-	if (priv->started) {
+	if (dev->data->dev_started) {
 		rte_flow_error_set(error, EBUSY,
 				   RTE_FLOW_ERROR_TYPE_UNSPECIFIED,
 				   NULL,
diff --git a/drivers/net/mlx5/mlx5_rxq.c b/drivers/net/mlx5/mlx5_rxq.c
index 6e520fb..683a4a7 100644
--- a/drivers/net/mlx5/mlx5_rxq.c
+++ b/drivers/net/mlx5/mlx5_rxq.c
@@ -1150,7 +1150,7 @@ mlx5_rx_queue_setup(struct rte_eth_dev *dev, uint16_t idx, uint16_t desc,
 	if (rxq != NULL) {
 		DEBUG("%p: reusing already allocated queue index %u (%p)",
 		      (void *)dev, idx, (void *)rxq);
-		if (priv->started) {
+		if (dev->data->dev_started) {
 			priv_unlock(priv);
 			return -EEXIST;
 		}
diff --git a/drivers/net/mlx5/mlx5_trigger.c b/drivers/net/mlx5/mlx5_trigger.c
index 0d0f340..212b4df 100644
--- a/drivers/net/mlx5/mlx5_trigger.c
+++ b/drivers/net/mlx5/mlx5_trigger.c
@@ -61,10 +61,6 @@ mlx5_dev_start(struct rte_eth_dev *dev)
 		return -E_RTE_SECONDARY;
 
 	priv_lock(priv);
-	if (priv->started) {
-		priv_unlock(priv);
-		return 0;
-	}
 	/* Update Rx/Tx callback. */
 	priv_dev_select_tx_function(priv, dev);
 	priv_dev_select_rx_function(priv, dev);
@@ -72,8 +68,6 @@ mlx5_dev_start(struct rte_eth_dev *dev)
 	err = priv_create_hash_rxqs(priv);
 	if (!err)
 		err = priv_rehash_flows(priv);
-	if (!err)
-		priv->started = 1;
 	else {
 		ERROR("%p: an error occurred while configuring hash RX queues:"
 		      " %s",
@@ -82,7 +76,6 @@ mlx5_dev_start(struct rte_eth_dev *dev)
 	}
 	err = priv_flow_start(priv);
 	if (err) {
-		priv->started = 0;
 		ERROR("%p: an error occurred while configuring flows:"
 		      " %s",
 		      (void *)priv, strerror(err));
@@ -125,10 +118,6 @@ mlx5_dev_stop(struct rte_eth_dev *dev)
 		return;
 
 	priv_lock(priv);
-	if (!priv->started) {
-		priv_unlock(priv);
-		return;
-	}
 	DEBUG("%p: cleaning up and destroying hash RX queues", (void *)dev);
 	priv_special_flow_disable_all(priv);
 	priv_mac_addrs_disable(priv);
@@ -136,6 +125,5 @@ mlx5_dev_stop(struct rte_eth_dev *dev)
 	priv_flow_stop(priv);
 	priv_rx_intr_vec_disable(priv);
 	priv_dev_interrupt_handler_uninstall(priv, dev);
-	priv->started = 0;
 	priv_unlock(priv);
 }
diff --git a/drivers/net/mlx5/mlx5_txq.c b/drivers/net/mlx5/mlx5_txq.c
index ee9f703..f551f87 100644
--- a/drivers/net/mlx5/mlx5_txq.c
+++ b/drivers/net/mlx5/mlx5_txq.c
@@ -490,7 +490,7 @@ mlx5_tx_queue_setup(struct rte_eth_dev *dev, uint16_t idx, uint16_t desc,
 	if (txq != NULL) {
 		DEBUG("%p: reusing already allocated queue index %u (%p)",
 		      (void *)dev, idx, (void *)txq);
-		if (priv->started) {
+		if (dev->data->dev_started) {
 			priv_unlock(priv);
 			return -EEXIST;
 		}
