diff --git a/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/i40e/i40e_common.c b/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/i40e/i40e_common.c
index e9aab1c..d84fca1 100644
--- a/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/i40e/i40e_common.c
+++ b/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/i40e/i40e_common.c
@@ -401,6 +401,38 @@
 }
 
 /**
+ * i40e_led_is_mine - helper to find matching led
+ * @hw: pointer to the hw struct
+ * @idx: index into GPIO registers
+ *
+ * returns: 0 if no match, otherwise the value of the GPIO_CTL register
+ */
+static u32 i40e_led_is_mine(struct i40e_hw *hw, int idx)
+{
+	u32 gpio_val = 0;
+	u32 port;
+
+	if (!hw->func_caps.led[idx])
+		return 0;
+
+	gpio_val = rd32(hw, I40E_GLGEN_GPIO_CTL(idx));
+	port = (gpio_val & I40E_GLGEN_GPIO_CTL_PRT_NUM_MASK) >>
+		I40E_GLGEN_GPIO_CTL_PRT_NUM_SHIFT;
+
+	/* if PRT_NUM_NA is 1 then this LED is not port specific, OR
+	 * if it is not our port then ignore
+	 */
+	if ((gpio_val & I40E_GLGEN_GPIO_CTL_PRT_NUM_NA_MASK) ||
+	    (port != hw->port))
+		return 0;
+
+	return gpio_val;
+}
+
+#define I40E_LED0 22
+#define I40E_LINK_ACTIVITY 0xC
+
+/**
  * i40e_led_get - return current on/off mode
  * @hw: pointer to the hw struct
  *
@@ -411,24 +443,20 @@
  **/
 u32 i40e_led_get(struct i40e_hw *hw)
 {
-	u32 gpio_val = 0;
 	u32 mode = 0;
-	u32 port;
 	int i;
 
-	for (i = 0; i < I40E_HW_CAP_MAX_GPIO; i++) {
-		if (!hw->func_caps.led[i])
+	/* as per the documentation GPIO 22-29 are the LED
+	 * GPIO pins named LED0..LED7
+	 */
+	for (i = I40E_LED0; i <= I40E_GLGEN_GPIO_CTL_MAX_INDEX; i++) {
+		u32 gpio_val = i40e_led_is_mine(hw, i);
+
+		if (!gpio_val)
 			continue;
 
-		gpio_val = rd32(hw, I40E_GLGEN_GPIO_CTL(i));
-		port = (gpio_val & I40E_GLGEN_GPIO_CTL_PRT_NUM_MASK)
-			>> I40E_GLGEN_GPIO_CTL_PRT_NUM_SHIFT;
-
-		if (port != hw->port)
-			continue;
-
-		mode = (gpio_val & I40E_GLGEN_GPIO_CTL_LED_MODE_MASK)
-				>> I40E_GLGEN_GPIO_CTL_INT_MODE_SHIFT;
+		mode = (gpio_val & I40E_GLGEN_GPIO_CTL_LED_MODE_MASK) >>
+			I40E_GLGEN_GPIO_CTL_LED_MODE_SHIFT;
 		break;
 	}
 
@@ -438,31 +466,41 @@
 /**
  * i40e_led_set - set new on/off mode
  * @hw: pointer to the hw struct
- * @mode: 0=off, else on (see EAS for mode details)
+ * @mode: 0=off, 0xf=on (else see manual for mode details)
+ * @blink: true if the LED should blink when on, false if steady
+ *
+ * if this function is used to turn on the blink it should
+ * be used to disable the blink when restoring the original state.
  **/
-void i40e_led_set(struct i40e_hw *hw, u32 mode)
+void i40e_led_set(struct i40e_hw *hw, u32 mode, bool blink)
 {
-	u32 gpio_val = 0;
-	u32 led_mode = 0;
-	u32 port;
 	int i;
 
-	for (i = 0; i < I40E_HW_CAP_MAX_GPIO; i++) {
-		if (!hw->func_caps.led[i])
+	if (mode & 0xfffffff0)
+		hw_dbg(hw, "invalid mode passed in %X\n", mode);
+
+	/* as per the documentation GPIO 22-29 are the LED
+	 * GPIO pins named LED0..LED7
+	 */
+	for (i = I40E_LED0; i <= I40E_GLGEN_GPIO_CTL_MAX_INDEX; i++) {
+		u32 gpio_val = i40e_led_is_mine(hw, i);
+
+		if (!gpio_val)
 			continue;
 
-		gpio_val = rd32(hw, I40E_GLGEN_GPIO_CTL(i));
-		port = (gpio_val & I40E_GLGEN_GPIO_CTL_PRT_NUM_MASK)
-			>> I40E_GLGEN_GPIO_CTL_PRT_NUM_SHIFT;
-
-		if (port != hw->port)
-			continue;
-
-		led_mode = (mode << I40E_GLGEN_GPIO_CTL_LED_MODE_SHIFT) &
-			    I40E_GLGEN_GPIO_CTL_LED_MODE_MASK;
 		gpio_val &= ~I40E_GLGEN_GPIO_CTL_LED_MODE_MASK;
-		gpio_val |= led_mode;
+		/* this & is a bit of paranoia, but serves as a range check */
+		gpio_val |= ((mode << I40E_GLGEN_GPIO_CTL_LED_MODE_SHIFT) &
+			     I40E_GLGEN_GPIO_CTL_LED_MODE_MASK);
+
+		if (mode == I40E_LINK_ACTIVITY)
+			blink = false;
+
+		gpio_val |= (blink ? 1 : 0) <<
+			    I40E_GLGEN_GPIO_CTL_LED_BLINK_SHIFT;
+
 		wr32(hw, I40E_GLGEN_GPIO_CTL(i), gpio_val);
+		break;
 	}
 }
 
diff --git a/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/i40e/i40e_ethtool.c b/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/i40e/i40e_ethtool.c
index 255a138..0359c36 100644
--- a/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/i40e/i40e_ethtool.c
+++ b/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/i40e/i40e_ethtool.c
@@ -916,13 +916,13 @@
 		pf->led_status = i40e_led_get(hw);
 		return blink_freq;
 	case ETHTOOL_ID_ON:
-		i40e_led_set(hw, 0xF);
+		i40e_led_set(hw, 0xF, false);
 		break;
 	case ETHTOOL_ID_OFF:
-		i40e_led_set(hw, 0x0);
+		i40e_led_set(hw, 0x0, false);
 		break;
 	case ETHTOOL_ID_INACTIVE:
-		i40e_led_set(hw, pf->led_status);
+		i40e_led_set(hw, pf->led_status, false);
 		break;
 	}
 
diff --git a/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/i40e/i40e_prototype.h b/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/i40e/i40e_prototype.h
index 5c458bb..0b6e9fc 100644
--- a/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/i40e/i40e_prototype.h
+++ b/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/i40e/i40e_prototype.h
@@ -61,7 +61,7 @@
 void i40e_idle_aq(struct i40e_hw *hw);
 
 u32 i40e_led_get(struct i40e_hw *hw);
-void i40e_led_set(struct i40e_hw *hw, u32 mode);
+void i40e_led_set(struct i40e_hw *hw, u32 mode, bool blink);
 
 /* admin send queue commands */