diff --git a/drivers/net/ethernet/mellanox/mlx5/core/steering/dr_action.c b/drivers/net/ethernet/mellanox/mlx5/core/steering/dr_action.c
index 8c265250bbaf..bf7517725d8c 100644
--- a/drivers/net/ethernet/mellanox/mlx5/core/steering/dr_action.c
+++ b/drivers/net/ethernet/mellanox/mlx5/core/steering/dr_action.c
@@ -762,11 +762,17 @@ int mlx5dr_actions_build_ste_arr(struct mlx5dr_matcher *matcher,
 							action->sampler->tx_icm_addr;
 			break;
 		case DR_ACTION_TYP_VPORT:
-			attr.hit_gvmi = action->vport->caps->vhca_gvmi;
-			dest_action = action;
-			attr.final_icm_addr = rx_rule ?
-				action->vport->caps->icm_address_rx :
-				action->vport->caps->icm_address_tx;
+			if (unlikely(rx_rule && action->vport->caps->num == MLX5_VPORT_UPLINK)) {
+				/* can't go to uplink on RX rule - dropping instead */
+				attr.final_icm_addr = nic_dmn->drop_icm_addr;
+				attr.hit_gvmi = nic_dmn->drop_icm_addr >> 48;
+			} else {
+				attr.hit_gvmi = action->vport->caps->vhca_gvmi;
+				dest_action = action;
+				attr.final_icm_addr = rx_rule ?
+						      action->vport->caps->icm_address_rx :
+						      action->vport->caps->icm_address_tx;
+			}
 			break;
 		case DR_ACTION_TYP_POP_VLAN:
 			if (!rx_rule && !(dmn->ste_ctx->actions_caps &