diff --git a/drivers/net/ethernet/renesas/sh_eth.c b/drivers/net/ethernet/renesas/sh_eth.c
index 9d8013f82019e4d368e3843843fef2bf583cd94f..ca742e1f704e027ba0b4651c98e94fd26148c590 100644
--- a/drivers/net/ethernet/renesas/sh_eth.c
+++ b/drivers/net/ethernet/renesas/sh_eth.c
@@ -1703,11 +1703,6 @@ static int sh_eth_phy_start(struct net_device *ndev)
 	if (ret)
 		return ret;
 
-	/* reset phy - this also wakes it from PDOWN */
-	ret = phy_init_hw(mdp->phydev);
-	if (ret)
-		return ret;
-
 	phy_start(mdp->phydev);
 
 	return 0;