diff --git a/drivers/net/phy/phy_device.c b/drivers/net/phy/phy_device.c
index c2d778d064051b4e9fb5f436ce8ddadf3bf32165..7c21b8214bb982d115a18011f180748e18ee6657 100644
--- a/drivers/net/phy/phy_device.c
+++ b/drivers/net/phy/phy_device.c
@@ -540,11 +540,7 @@ int phy_init_hw(struct phy_device *phydev)
 	if (!phydev->drv || !phydev->drv->config_init)
 		return 0;
 
-	ret = phy_write(phydev, MII_BMCR, BMCR_RESET);
-	if (ret < 0)
-		return ret;
-
-	ret = phy_poll_reset(phydev);
+	ret = genphy_soft_reset(phydev);
 	if (ret < 0)
 		return ret;
 
@@ -1045,6 +1041,27 @@ static int gen10g_read_status(struct phy_device *phydev)
 	return 0;
 }
 
+/**
+ * genphy_soft_reset - software reset the PHY via BMCR_RESET bit
+ * @phydev: target phy_device struct
+ *
+ * Description: Perform a software PHY reset using the standard
+ * BMCR_RESET bit and poll for the reset bit to be cleared.
+ *
+ * Returns: 0 on success, < 0 on failure
+ */
+int genphy_soft_reset(struct phy_device *phydev)
+{
+	int ret;
+
+	ret = phy_write(phydev, MII_BMCR, BMCR_RESET);
+	if (ret < 0)
+		return ret;
+
+	return phy_poll_reset(phydev);
+}
+EXPORT_SYMBOL(genphy_soft_reset);
+
 static int genphy_config_init(struct phy_device *phydev)
 {
 	int val;
diff --git a/include/linux/phy.h b/include/linux/phy.h
index f7fe54628424c151ae79f86d0d296557830bbe35..bffe0ec1604f635ba6b0a1949a887c4b3c1e2eae 100644
--- a/include/linux/phy.h
+++ b/include/linux/phy.h
@@ -666,6 +666,7 @@ int genphy_update_link(struct phy_device *phydev);
 int genphy_read_status(struct phy_device *phydev);
 int genphy_suspend(struct phy_device *phydev);
 int genphy_resume(struct phy_device *phydev);
+int genphy_soft_reset(struct phy_device *phydev);
 void phy_driver_unregister(struct phy_driver *drv);
 void phy_drivers_unregister(struct phy_driver *drv, int n);
 int phy_driver_register(struct phy_driver *new_driver);