diff --git a/src/network/networkd-link-bus.c b/src/network/networkd-link-bus.c
index 84ed42987c..ef2e811255 100644
--- a/src/network/networkd-link-bus.c
+++ b/src/network/networkd-link-bus.c
@@ -669,7 +669,6 @@ int bus_link_method_reconfigure(sd_bus_message *message, void *userdata, sd_bus_
         if (r < 0)
                 return r;
         if (r > 0) {
-                link_set_state(l, LINK_STATE_INITIALIZED);
                 r = link_save_and_clean_full(l, /* also_save_manager = */ true);
                 if (r < 0)
                         return r;
diff --git a/src/network/networkd-link.c b/src/network/networkd-link.c
index 3940aa79b3..2f7aaec2e5 100644
--- a/src/network/networkd-link.c
+++ b/src/network/networkd-link.c
@@ -1454,6 +1454,9 @@ int link_reconfigure(Link *link, bool force) {
         if (r < 0)
                 return r;
 
+        if (force || link->state == LINK_STATE_FAILED)
+                link_set_state(link, LINK_STATE_INITIALIZED);
+
         return 1; /* 1 means the interface will be reconfigured. */
 }
 
@@ -1536,6 +1539,9 @@ int link_reconfigure_on_bus_method_reload(Link *link, sd_bus_message *message) {
         TAKE_PTR(data);
         link->manager->reloading++;
 
+        if (link->state == LINK_STATE_FAILED)
+                link_set_state(link, LINK_STATE_INITIALIZED);
+
         return 0;
 }