diff --git a/neutron/agent/linux/interface.py b/neutron/agent/linux/interface.py
index f3f22235d34..bdc3ea9030f 100644
--- a/neutron/agent/linux/interface.py
+++ b/neutron/agent/linux/interface.py
@@ -272,8 +272,9 @@ class LinuxInterfaceDriver(object):
              bridge=None, namespace=None, prefix=None, mtu=None, link_up=True):
         if not ip_lib.device_exists(device_name,
                                     namespace=namespace):
-            self.plug_new(network_id, port_id, device_name, mac_address,
-                          bridge, namespace, prefix, mtu, link_up)
+            self._safe_plug_new(
+                network_id, port_id, device_name, mac_address, bridge,
+                namespace, prefix, mtu, link_up)
         else:
             LOG.info("Device %s already exists", device_name)
             if mtu:
@@ -282,6 +283,22 @@ class LinuxInterfaceDriver(object):
             else:
                 LOG.warning("No MTU configured for port %s", port_id)
 
+    def _safe_plug_new(self, network_id, port_id, device_name, mac_address,
+            bridge=None, namespace=None, prefix=None, mtu=None, link_up=True):
+        try:
+            self.plug_new(
+                network_id, port_id, device_name, mac_address, bridge,
+                namespace, prefix, mtu, link_up)
+        except TypeError:
+            LOG.warning("Interface driver's plug_new() method should now "
+                        "accept additional optional parameter 'link_up'. "
+                        "Usage of plug_new() method which takes from 5 to 9 "
+                        "positional arguments is now deprecated and will not "
+                        "be possible in W release.")
+            self.plug_new(
+                network_id, port_id, device_name, mac_address, bridge,
+                namespace, prefix, mtu)
+
     @abc.abstractmethod
     def unplug(self, device_name, bridge=None, namespace=None, prefix=None):
         """Unplug the interface."""
diff --git a/neutron/tests/unit/agent/linux/test_interface.py b/neutron/tests/unit/agent/linux/test_interface.py
index 95bff8da863..01f39a78dad 100644
--- a/neutron/tests/unit/agent/linux/test_interface.py
+++ b/neutron/tests/unit/agent/linux/test_interface.py
@@ -53,6 +53,17 @@ class FakePort(object):
     network_id = network.id
 
 
+class FakeLegacyInterfaceDriver(interface.LinuxInterfaceDriver):
+
+    def plug_new(self, network_id, port_id, device_name, mac_address,
+                 bridge=None, namespace=None, prefix=None, mtu=None):
+        """This is legacy method which don't accepts link_up argument."""
+        pass
+
+    def unplug(self, device_name, bridge=None, namespace=None, prefix=None):
+        pass
+
+
 class TestBase(base.BaseTestCase):
     def setUp(self):
         super(TestBase, self).setUp()
@@ -619,3 +630,25 @@ class TestBridgeInterfaceDriver(TestBase):
 
         self.ip_dev.assert_has_calls([mock.call('tap0', namespace=None),
                                       mock.call().link.delete()])
+
+
+class TestLegacyDriver(TestBase):
+
+    def test_plug(self):
+        self.device_exists.return_value = False
+        with mock.patch('neutron.agent.linux.interface.LOG.warning') as log:
+            driver = FakeLegacyInterfaceDriver(self.conf)
+            try:
+                driver.plug(
+                    '01234567-1234-1234-99', 'port-1234', 'tap0',
+                    'aa:bb:cc:dd:ee:ff')
+            except TypeError:
+                self.fail("LinuxInterfaceDriver class can not call properly "
+                          "plug_new method from the legacy drivers that "
+                          "do not accept 'link_up' parameter.")
+            msg = ("Interface driver's plug_new() method should now accept "
+                   "additional optional parameter 'link_up'. Usage of "
+                   "plug_new() method which takes from 5 to 9 positional "
+                   "arguments is now deprecated and will not be possible in "
+                   "W release.")
+            log.assert_called_once_with(msg)
diff --git a/releasenotes/notes/Deprecate-plug_new-method-without-link_up-parameter-27f8310eb1e1910a.yaml b/releasenotes/notes/Deprecate-plug_new-method-without-link_up-parameter-27f8310eb1e1910a.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..784a8ca5079
--- /dev/null
+++ b/releasenotes/notes/Deprecate-plug_new-method-without-link_up-parameter-27f8310eb1e1910a.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,10 @@
+---
+deprecations:
+  - |
+    Abstract method ``plug_new`` from the
+    neutron.agent.linux.interface.LinuxInterfaceDriver class now accepts
+    an optional parameter ``link_up``.
+    Usage of this method, which takes from 5 to 9 positional arguments, without
+    ``link_up`` is now deprecated and will not be possible starting in the W
+    release. Third-party drivers which inherit from this base class should update
+    the implementation of their ``plug_new`` method.