diff --git a/rhel/etc_init.d_openvswitch b/rhel/etc_init.d_openvswitch
index 55a13a7ed1b..3d79b6a028f 100755
--- a/rhel/etc_init.d_openvswitch
+++ b/rhel/etc_init.d_openvswitch
@@ -49,6 +49,7 @@ start () {
     "$@"
 
     ovs_ctl --protocol=gre enable-protocol
+    ovs_ctl --protocol=udp --dport=8472 enable-protocol
 
     touch /var/lock/subsys/openvswitch
 }
diff --git a/xenserver/etc_init.d_openvswitch b/xenserver/etc_init.d_openvswitch
index 9c0fe80b158..6e94b92b970 100755
--- a/xenserver/etc_init.d_openvswitch
+++ b/xenserver/etc_init.d_openvswitch
@@ -82,6 +82,7 @@ start () {
     start_ovs_xapi_sync
 
     ovs_ctl --protocol=gre enable-protocol
+    ovs_ctl --protocol=udp --dport=8472 enable-protocol
 
     touch /var/lock/subsys/openvswitch
 }