diff --git a/drivers/net/ethernet/socionext/netsec.c b/drivers/net/ethernet/socionext/netsec.c
index 1502fe8b0456c17a8e4b04831189d9f9175d206f..55db7fbd43cc3cfd112c31803e1318bda1555e05 100644
--- a/drivers/net/ethernet/socionext/netsec.c
+++ b/drivers/net/ethernet/socionext/netsec.c
@@ -2007,7 +2007,7 @@ static int netsec_probe(struct platform_device *pdev)
 			   NETIF_MSG_LINK | NETIF_MSG_PROBE;
 
 	priv->phy_interface = device_get_phy_mode(&pdev->dev);
-	if (priv->phy_interface < 0) {
+	if ((int)priv->phy_interface < 0) {
 		dev_err(&pdev->dev, "missing required property 'phy-mode'\n");
 		ret = -ENODEV;
 		goto free_ndev;