diff --git a/dataplane/forwarding/fwdport/ports/tap.go b/dataplane/forwarding/fwdport/ports/tap.go
index ee5e78316..16c9a3572 100644
--- a/dataplane/forwarding/fwdport/ports/tap.go
+++ b/dataplane/forwarding/fwdport/ports/tap.go
@@ -180,7 +180,7 @@ func stateFromAttrs(attrs *netlink.LinkAttrs) (fwdpb.PortState, fwdpb.PortState)
 
 	var state fwdpb.PortState
 	switch attrs.OperState {
-	case netlink.OperDown:
+	case netlink.OperDown, netlink.OperLowerLayerDown:
 		state = fwdpb.PortState_PORT_STATE_DISABLED_DOWN
 	case netlink.OperUp, netlink.OperUnknown: // TAP interface may be unknown state because the dataplane doesn't bind to its fd, so treat unknown as up.
 		state = fwdpb.PortState_PORT_STATE_ENABLED_UP