diff --git a/src/link_manager/LinkManagerStateMachineActiveActive.cpp b/src/link_manager/LinkManagerStateMachineActiveActive.cpp
index 19b7bfc8..1920d64c 100644
--- a/src/link_manager/LinkManagerStateMachineActiveActive.cpp
+++ b/src/link_manager/LinkManagerStateMachineActiveActive.cpp
@@ -271,9 +271,11 @@ void ActiveActiveStateMachine::handleMuxConfigNotification(const common::MuxPort
     mMuxPortConfig.setMode(mode);
     if (mComponentInitState.all()) {
         CompositeState nextState = mCompositeState;
-        if (mode == common::MuxPortConfig::Mode::Active && ms(mCompositeState) != mux_state::MuxState::Label::Active) {
+        // Always drive an explicit config: the in-memory MUX state is bootstrapped on restart
+        // without being reconciled against the driver, so it is no proof the hardware agrees.
+        if (mode == common::MuxPortConfig::Mode::Active) {
             switchMuxState(nextState, mux_state::MuxState::Label::Active, true);
-        } else if (mode == common::MuxPortConfig::Mode::Standby && ms(mCompositeState) != mux_state::MuxState::Label::Standby) {
+        } else if (mode == common::MuxPortConfig::Mode::Standby) {
             switchMuxState(nextState, mux_state::MuxState::Label::Standby, true);
         } else if (mode == common::MuxPortConfig::Mode::Auto && ms(mCompositeState) == mux_state::MuxState::Label::Unknown) {
             MUXLOGINFO(boost::format("%s: reset link prober state") % mMuxPortConfig.getPortName());
diff --git a/test/LinkManagerStateMachineActiveActiveTest.cpp b/test/LinkManagerStateMachineActiveActiveTest.cpp
index d4bec295..152a9e0c 100644
--- a/test/LinkManagerStateMachineActiveActiveTest.cpp
+++ b/test/LinkManagerStateMachineActiveActiveTest.cpp
@@ -476,6 +476,78 @@ TEST_F(LinkManagerStateMachineActiveActiveTest, ConfigStandbySocAgentRestart)
     VALIDATE_STATE(Active, Active, Up);
 }
 
+TEST_F(LinkManagerStateMachineActiveActiveTest, MuxActiveConfigActiveReDrivesMuxState)
+{
+    setMuxActive();
+    EXPECT_EQ(mDbInterfacePtr->mSetMuxStateInvokeCount, 1);
+
+    handleMuxConfig("active", 1);
+    EXPECT_EQ(mDbInterfacePtr->mSetMuxStateInvokeCount, 2);
+    EXPECT_EQ(mDbInterfacePtr->mLastSetMuxState, mux_state::MuxState::Label::Active);
+    VALIDATE_STATE(Active, Active, Up);
+}
+
+TEST_F(LinkManagerStateMachineActiveActiveTest, MuxStandbyConfigStandbyReDrivesMuxState)
+{
+    setMuxStandby();
+    EXPECT_EQ(mDbInterfacePtr->mSetMuxStateInvokeCount, 1);
+
+    handleMuxConfig("standby", 1);
+    EXPECT_EQ(mDbInterfacePtr->mSetMuxStateInvokeCount, 2);
+    EXPECT_EQ(mDbInterfacePtr->mLastSetMuxState, mux_state::MuxState::Label::Standby);
+    VALIDATE_STATE(Unknown, Standby, Up);
+}
+
+TEST_F(LinkManagerStateMachineActiveActiveTest, MuxConfigActiveAfterRestartMatchingBootstrappedState)
+{
+    // Restart: the mux state is bootstrapped from state db before the state machine is
+    // activated, so the config below matches it and calculates no state transition.
+    postLinkEvent(link_state::LinkState::Up, 0, true);
+    VALIDATE_STATE(Wait, Wait, Up);
+
+    handleMuxState("active", 0, true);
+    VALIDATE_STATE(Wait, Active, Up);
+
+    activateStateMachine();
+    pollIoService();
+    EXPECT_EQ(mDbInterfacePtr->mSetMuxStateInvokeCount, 0);
+    VALIDATE_STATE(Wait, Active, Up);
+
+    handleMuxConfig("active", 1);
+    EXPECT_EQ(mDbInterfacePtr->mSetMuxStateInvokeCount, 1);
+    EXPECT_EQ(mDbInterfacePtr->mLastSetMuxState, mux_state::MuxState::Label::Active);
+    VALIDATE_STATE(Wait, Active, Up);
+}
+
+TEST_F(LinkManagerStateMachineActiveActiveTest, MuxConfigActiveBeforeInitMatchingBootstrappedState)
+{
+    // Config read before initialization is deferred and replayed once all components are up.
+    handleMuxConfig("active", 0, true);
+    EXPECT_EQ(mDbInterfacePtr->mSetMuxStateInvokeCount, 0);
+
+    postLinkEvent(link_state::LinkState::Up, 0, true);
+    VALIDATE_STATE(Wait, Wait, Up);
+
+    handleMuxState("active", 0, true);
+    VALIDATE_STATE(Wait, Active, Up);
+
+    activateStateMachine();
+    pollIoService();
+    EXPECT_EQ(mDbInterfacePtr->mSetMuxStateInvokeCount, 1);
+    EXPECT_EQ(mDbInterfacePtr->mLastSetMuxState, mux_state::MuxState::Label::Active);
+    VALIDATE_STATE(Wait, Active, Up);
+}
+
+TEST_F(LinkManagerStateMachineActiveActiveTest, MuxActiveConfigAutoDoesNotReDriveMuxState)
+{
+    setMuxActive();
+    EXPECT_EQ(mDbInterfacePtr->mSetMuxStateInvokeCount, 1);
+
+    handleMuxConfig("auto", 1);
+    EXPECT_EQ(mDbInterfacePtr->mSetMuxStateInvokeCount, 1);
+    VALIDATE_STATE(Active, Active, Up);
+}
+
 TEST_F(LinkManagerStateMachineActiveActiveTest, MuxActiveLinkProberPeerActive)
 {
     setMuxActive();
@@ -634,11 +706,12 @@ TEST_F(LinkManagerStateMachineActiveActiveTest, MuxActivDefaultRouteStateMuxConf
 
     handleMuxConfig("active", 2);
     EXPECT_EQ(mFakeMuxPort.mFakeLinkProber->mRestartTxProbeCallCount, 2);
+    EXPECT_EQ(mDbInterfacePtr->mSetMuxStateInvokeCount, 2);
 
     postDefaultRouteEvent("na", 1);
     EXPECT_EQ(mFakeMuxPort.mFakeLinkProber->mShutdownTxProbeCallCount, 0);
     EXPECT_EQ(mFakeMuxPort.mFakeLinkProber->mRestartTxProbeCallCount, 3);
-    EXPECT_EQ(mDbInterfacePtr->mSetMuxStateInvokeCount, 1);
+    EXPECT_EQ(mDbInterfacePtr->mSetMuxStateInvokeCount, 2);
     VALIDATE_STATE(Active, Active, Up);
 }