diff --git a/drivers/net/ethernet/octeon/octeon_mgmt.c b/drivers/net/ethernet/octeon/octeon_mgmt.c
index c42bbb16cdaebdeb7147dc887705abcfe91e86e0..a688a2ddcfd612866edbce5f8ee08b7f92fbd8e0 100644
--- a/drivers/net/ethernet/octeon/octeon_mgmt.c
+++ b/drivers/net/ethernet/octeon/octeon_mgmt.c
@@ -722,10 +722,8 @@ static int octeon_mgmt_init_phy(struct net_device *netdev)
 				   octeon_mgmt_adjust_link, 0,
 				   PHY_INTERFACE_MODE_MII);
 
-	if (IS_ERR(p->phydev)) {
-		p->phydev = NULL;
+	if (!p->phydev)
 		return -1;
-	}
 
 	phy_start_aneg(p->phydev);