diff --git a/net/batman-adv/hard-interface.c b/net/batman-adv/hard-interface.c
index 37fc452f7b9a..0d5519fcb438 100644
--- a/net/batman-adv/hard-interface.c
+++ b/net/batman-adv/hard-interface.c
@@ -643,7 +643,19 @@ out:
  */
 void batadv_update_min_mtu(struct net_device *soft_iface)
 {
-	dev_set_mtu(soft_iface, batadv_hardif_min_mtu(soft_iface));
+	struct batadv_priv *bat_priv = netdev_priv(soft_iface);
+	int limit_mtu;
+	int mtu;
+
+	mtu = batadv_hardif_min_mtu(soft_iface);
+
+	if (bat_priv->mtu_set_by_user)
+		limit_mtu = bat_priv->mtu_set_by_user;
+	else
+		limit_mtu = ETH_DATA_LEN;
+
+	mtu = min(mtu, limit_mtu);
+	dev_set_mtu(soft_iface, mtu);
 
 	/* Check if the local translate table should be cleaned up to match a
 	 * new (and smaller) MTU.
diff --git a/net/batman-adv/soft-interface.c b/net/batman-adv/soft-interface.c
index 1003abb8cc35..7447dbd305fc 100644
--- a/net/batman-adv/soft-interface.c
+++ b/net/batman-adv/soft-interface.c
@@ -167,11 +167,14 @@ static int batadv_interface_set_mac_addr(struct net_device *dev, void *p)
 
 static int batadv_interface_change_mtu(struct net_device *dev, int new_mtu)
 {
+	struct batadv_priv *bat_priv = netdev_priv(dev);
+
 	/* check ranges */
 	if (new_mtu < 68 || new_mtu > batadv_hardif_min_mtu(dev))
 		return -EINVAL;
 
 	dev->mtu = new_mtu;
+	bat_priv->mtu_set_by_user = new_mtu;
 
 	return 0;
 }
diff --git a/net/batman-adv/types.h b/net/batman-adv/types.h
index 37598ae1d3f7..34c18f72a41b 100644
--- a/net/batman-adv/types.h
+++ b/net/batman-adv/types.h
@@ -1514,6 +1514,12 @@ struct batadv_priv {
 	/** @soft_iface: net device which holds this struct as private data */
 	struct net_device *soft_iface;
 
+	/**
+	 * @mtu_set_by_user: MTU was set once by user
+	 * protected by rtnl_lock
+	 */
+	int mtu_set_by_user;
+
 	/**
 	 * @bat_counters: mesh internal traffic statistic counters (see
 	 *  batadv_counters)