diff --git a/drivers/net/phy/phy_device.c b/drivers/net/phy/phy_device.c
index 478405e544cc87cb415ad67d28c3ad8b9d2debc9..b285323327c42f40a01f9111e604bf90adbde2cb 100644
--- a/drivers/net/phy/phy_device.c
+++ b/drivers/net/phy/phy_device.c
@@ -374,7 +374,7 @@ struct phy_device *phy_device_create(struct mii_bus *bus, int addr, int phy_id,
 	dev->duplex = -1;
 	dev->pause = 0;
 	dev->asym_pause = 0;
-	dev->link = 1;
+	dev->link = 0;
 	dev->interface = PHY_INTERFACE_MODE_GMII;
 
 	dev->autoneg = AUTONEG_ENABLE;