diff --git a/drivers/net/ethernet/mellanox/mlx4/fw.c b/drivers/net/ethernet/mellanox/mlx4/fw.c
index 16bbd6cdff6c..b93e23bef6c9 100644
--- a/drivers/net/ethernet/mellanox/mlx4/fw.c
+++ b/drivers/net/ethernet/mellanox/mlx4/fw.c
@@ -49,9 +49,9 @@ enum {
 extern void __buggy_use_of_MLX4_GET(void);
 extern void __buggy_use_of_MLX4_PUT(void);
 
-static bool enable_qos;
+static bool enable_qos = true;
 module_param(enable_qos, bool, 0444);
-MODULE_PARM_DESC(enable_qos, "Enable Quality of Service support in the HCA (default: off)");
+MODULE_PARM_DESC(enable_qos, "Enable Enhanced QoS support (default: on)");
 
 #define MLX4_GET(dest, source, offset)				      \
 	do {							      \
@@ -1709,7 +1709,7 @@ int mlx4_INIT_HCA(struct mlx4_dev *dev, struct mlx4_init_hca_param *param)
 		*(inbox + INIT_HCA_FLAGS_OFFSET / 4) |= cpu_to_be32(1 << 3);
 
 	/* Enable QoS support if module parameter set */
-	if (enable_qos)
+	if (dev->caps.flags2 & MLX4_DEV_CAP_FLAG2_ETS_CFG && enable_qos)
 		*(inbox + INIT_HCA_FLAGS_OFFSET / 4) |= cpu_to_be32(1 << 2);
 
 	/* enable counters */