diff --git a/src/drivers/infiniband/arbel.c b/src/drivers/infiniband/arbel.c
index 129ec574..76855327 100644
--- a/src/drivers/infiniband/arbel.c
+++ b/src/drivers/infiniband/arbel.c
@@ -1436,9 +1436,6 @@ static void arbel_event_port_state_change ( struct arbel *arbel,
 
 	/* Update MAD parameters */
 	ib_smc_update ( arbel->ibdev[port], arbel_mad );
-
-	/* Notify Infiniband core of link state change */
-	ib_link_state_changed ( arbel->ibdev[port] );
 }
 
 /**
@@ -2169,9 +2166,9 @@ static int arbel_probe ( struct pci_device *pci,
 	if ( ( rc = arbel_create_eq ( arbel ) ) != 0 )
 		goto err_create_eq;
 
-	/* Update MAD parameters */
+	/* Initialise parameters using SMC */
 	for ( i = 0 ; i < ARBEL_NUM_PORTS ; i++ )
-		ib_smc_update ( arbel->ibdev[i], arbel_mad );
+		ib_smc_init ( arbel->ibdev[i], arbel_mad );
 
 	/* Register Infiniband devices */
 	for ( i = 0 ; i < ARBEL_NUM_PORTS ; i++ ) {
diff --git a/src/drivers/infiniband/hermon.c b/src/drivers/infiniband/hermon.c
index 8b5c2487..907865de 100644
--- a/src/drivers/infiniband/hermon.c
+++ b/src/drivers/infiniband/hermon.c
@@ -1821,9 +1821,6 @@ static void hermon_event_port_state_change ( struct hermon *hermon,
 
 	/* Update MAD parameters */
 	ib_smc_update ( hermon->ibdev[port], hermon_mad );
-
-	/* Notify Infiniband core of link state change */
-	ib_link_state_changed ( hermon->ibdev[port] );
 }
 
 /**
@@ -2826,10 +2823,9 @@ static int hermon_probe ( struct pci_device *pci,
 	if ( ( rc = hermon_configure_special_qps ( hermon ) ) != 0 )
 		goto err_conf_special_qps;
 
-	/* Update IPoIB MAC address */
-	for ( i = 0 ; i < hermon->cap.num_ports ; i++ ) {
-		ib_smc_update ( hermon->ibdev[i], hermon_mad );
-	}
+	/* Initialise parameters using SMC */
+	for ( i = 0 ; i < hermon->cap.num_ports ; i++ )
+		ib_smc_init ( hermon->ibdev[i], hermon_mad );
 
 	/* Register Infiniband devices */
 	for ( i = 0 ; i < hermon->cap.num_ports ; i++ ) {
diff --git a/src/include/ipxe/ib_smc.h b/src/include/ipxe/ib_smc.h
index d16a37fa..259d2cde 100644
--- a/src/include/ipxe/ib_smc.h
+++ b/src/include/ipxe/ib_smc.h
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ FILE_LICENCE ( GPL2_OR_LATER );
 typedef int ( * ib_local_mad_t ) ( struct ib_device *ibdev,
 				   union ib_mad *mad );
 
-extern int ib_smc_update ( struct ib_device *ibdev,
-			   ib_local_mad_t local_mad );
+extern int ib_smc_init ( struct ib_device *ibdev, ib_local_mad_t local_mad );
+extern int ib_smc_update ( struct ib_device *ibdev, ib_local_mad_t local_mad );
 
 #endif /* _IPXE_IB_SMC_H */
diff --git a/src/net/infiniband/ib_smc.c b/src/net/infiniband/ib_smc.c
index 5eef8255..2e0535ab 100644
--- a/src/net/infiniband/ib_smc.c
+++ b/src/net/infiniband/ib_smc.c
@@ -123,13 +123,13 @@ static int ib_smc_get_pkey_table ( struct ib_device *ibdev,
 }
 
 /**
- * Get MAD parameters
+ * Get Infiniband parameters using SMC
  *
  * @v ibdev		Infiniband device
  * @v local_mad		Method for issuing local MADs
  * @ret rc		Return status code
  */
-int ib_smc_update ( struct ib_device *ibdev, ib_local_mad_t local_mad ) {
+static int ib_smc_get ( struct ib_device *ibdev, ib_local_mad_t local_mad ) {
 	union ib_mad mad;
 	struct ib_port_info *port_info = &mad.smp.smp_data.port_info;
 	struct ib_guid_info *guid_info = &mad.smp.smp_data.guid_info;
@@ -174,3 +174,40 @@ int ib_smc_update ( struct ib_device *ibdev, ib_local_mad_t local_mad ) {
 
 	return 0;
 }
+
+/**
+ * Initialise Infiniband parameters using SMC
+ *
+ * @v ibdev		Infiniband device
+ * @v local_mad		Method for issuing local MADs
+ * @ret rc		Return status code
+ */
+int ib_smc_init ( struct ib_device *ibdev, ib_local_mad_t local_mad ) {
+	int rc;
+
+	/* Get MAD parameters */
+	if ( ( rc = ib_smc_get ( ibdev, local_mad ) ) != 0 )
+		return rc;
+
+	return 0;
+}
+
+/**
+ * Update Infiniband parameters using SMC
+ *
+ * @v ibdev		Infiniband device
+ * @v local_mad		Method for issuing local MADs
+ * @ret rc		Return status code
+ */
+int ib_smc_update ( struct ib_device *ibdev, ib_local_mad_t local_mad ) {
+	int rc;
+
+	/* Get MAD parameters */
+	if ( ( rc = ib_smc_get ( ibdev, local_mad ) ) != 0 )
+		return rc;
+
+	/* Notify Infiniband core of potential link state change */
+	ib_link_state_changed ( ibdev );
+
+	return 0;
+}