diff --git a/drivers/net/phy/phy.c b/drivers/net/phy/phy.c
index 25f93a98863b79be76ac72b814d5dd4ff75c89a9..48da6e93c3f783e07f61ae24151e3114ac8dc1ae 100644
--- a/drivers/net/phy/phy.c
+++ b/drivers/net/phy/phy.c
@@ -1065,6 +1065,15 @@ void phy_state_machine(struct work_struct *work)
 			if (old_link != phydev->link)
 				phydev->state = PHY_CHANGELINK;
 		}
+		/*
+		 * Failsafe: check that nobody set phydev->link=0 between two
+		 * poll cycles, otherwise we won't leave RUNNING state as long
+		 * as link remains down.
+		 */
+		if (!phydev->link && phydev->state == PHY_RUNNING) {
+			phydev->state = PHY_CHANGELINK;
+			phydev_err(phydev, "no link in PHY_RUNNING\n");
+		}
 		break;
 	case PHY_CHANGELINK:
 		err = phy_read_status(phydev);