diff --git a/drivers/net/ethernet/cadence/macb_main.c b/drivers/net/ethernet/cadence/macb_main.c
index bd6a62f4bd7dcd529b12248806160003e5aa348f..5d5c9d70b2be1791285f0f5414917829a09c4d45 100644
--- a/drivers/net/ethernet/cadence/macb_main.c
+++ b/drivers/net/ethernet/cadence/macb_main.c
@@ -4137,15 +4137,13 @@ static int macb_probe(struct platform_device *pdev)
 		bp->rx_intr_mask |= MACB_BIT(RXUBR);
 
 	mac = of_get_mac_address(np);
-	if (mac) {
+	if (PTR_ERR(mac) == -EPROBE_DEFER) {
+		err = -EPROBE_DEFER;
+		goto err_out_free_netdev;
+	} else if (!IS_ERR(mac)) {
 		ether_addr_copy(bp->dev->dev_addr, mac);
 	} else {
-		err = nvmem_get_mac_address(&pdev->dev, bp->dev->dev_addr);
-		if (err) {
-			if (err == -EPROBE_DEFER)
-				goto err_out_free_netdev;
-			macb_get_hwaddr(bp);
-		}
+		macb_get_hwaddr(bp);
 	}
 
 	err = of_get_phy_mode(np);