diff --git a/drivers/staging/octeon/ethernet-sgmii.c b/drivers/staging/octeon/ethernet-sgmii.c
index 9a747f94d48c2ae6e4d51271e63d03767deab343..1940f4b72a66ebb38a6d61af8b07c0b74b438871 100644
--- a/drivers/staging/octeon/ethernet-sgmii.c
+++ b/drivers/staging/octeon/ethernet-sgmii.c
@@ -41,31 +41,9 @@
 
 #include <asm/octeon/cvmx-gmxx-defs.h>
 
-static void cvm_oct_sgmii_poll(struct net_device *dev)
-{
-	struct octeon_ethernet *priv = netdev_priv(dev);
-	cvmx_helper_link_info_t link_info;
-
-	link_info = cvmx_helper_link_get(priv->port);
-	if (link_info.u64 == priv->link_info)
-		return;
-
-	link_info = cvmx_helper_link_autoconf(priv->port);
-	priv->link_info = link_info.u64;
-
-	/* Tell Linux */
-	if (link_info.s.link_up) {
-		if (!netif_carrier_ok(dev))
-			netif_carrier_on(dev);
-	} else if (netif_carrier_ok(dev)) {
-		netif_carrier_off(dev);
-	}
-	cvm_oct_note_carrier(priv, link_info);
-}
-
 int cvm_oct_sgmii_open(struct net_device *dev)
 {
-	return cvm_oct_common_open(dev, cvm_oct_sgmii_poll, true);
+	return cvm_oct_common_open(dev, cvm_oct_link_poll, true);
 }
 
 int cvm_oct_sgmii_init(struct net_device *dev)
diff --git a/drivers/staging/octeon/ethernet-xaui.c b/drivers/staging/octeon/ethernet-xaui.c
index 888b70b93a7b3d02e11ec80cb23a4865f2e0caf8..42a4d2be0cffb6391513197b955dcd2cd4f82fa2 100644
--- a/drivers/staging/octeon/ethernet-xaui.c
+++ b/drivers/staging/octeon/ethernet-xaui.c
@@ -41,31 +41,9 @@
 
 #include <asm/octeon/cvmx-gmxx-defs.h>
 
-static void cvm_oct_xaui_poll(struct net_device *dev)
-{
-	struct octeon_ethernet *priv = netdev_priv(dev);
-	cvmx_helper_link_info_t link_info;
-
-	link_info = cvmx_helper_link_get(priv->port);
-	if (link_info.u64 == priv->link_info)
-		return;
-
-	link_info = cvmx_helper_link_autoconf(priv->port);
-	priv->link_info = link_info.u64;
-
-	/* Tell Linux */
-	if (link_info.s.link_up) {
-		if (!netif_carrier_ok(dev))
-			netif_carrier_on(dev);
-	} else if (netif_carrier_ok(dev)) {
-		netif_carrier_off(dev);
-	}
-	cvm_oct_note_carrier(priv, link_info);
-}
-
 int cvm_oct_xaui_open(struct net_device *dev)
 {
-	return cvm_oct_common_open(dev, cvm_oct_xaui_poll, true);
+	return cvm_oct_common_open(dev, cvm_oct_link_poll, true);
 }
 
 int cvm_oct_xaui_init(struct net_device *dev)
@@ -74,7 +52,7 @@ int cvm_oct_xaui_init(struct net_device *dev)
 
 	cvm_oct_common_init(dev);
 	if (!octeon_is_simulation() && priv->phydev == NULL)
-		priv->poll = cvm_oct_xaui_poll;
+		priv->poll = cvm_oct_link_poll;
 
 	return 0;
 }
diff --git a/drivers/staging/octeon/ethernet.c b/drivers/staging/octeon/ethernet.c
index a7f1fcb4762a8d89c224d41b9d231302e613e3bd..d395bf527d916dbacef0ccd800cd6065eaabe7c1 100644
--- a/drivers/staging/octeon/ethernet.c
+++ b/drivers/staging/octeon/ethernet.c
@@ -541,6 +541,27 @@ int cvm_oct_common_open(struct net_device *dev,
 	return 0;
 }
 
+void cvm_oct_link_poll(struct net_device *dev)
+{
+	struct octeon_ethernet *priv = netdev_priv(dev);
+	cvmx_helper_link_info_t link_info;
+
+	link_info = cvmx_helper_link_get(priv->port);
+	if (link_info.u64 == priv->link_info)
+		return;
+
+	link_info = cvmx_helper_link_autoconf(priv->port);
+	priv->link_info = link_info.u64;
+
+	if (link_info.s.link_up) {
+		if (!netif_carrier_ok(dev))
+			netif_carrier_on(dev);
+	} else if (netif_carrier_ok(dev)) {
+		netif_carrier_off(dev);
+	}
+	cvm_oct_note_carrier(priv, link_info);
+}
+
 static const struct net_device_ops cvm_oct_npi_netdev_ops = {
 	.ndo_init		= cvm_oct_common_init,
 	.ndo_uninit		= cvm_oct_common_uninit,
diff --git a/drivers/staging/octeon/octeon-ethernet.h b/drivers/staging/octeon/octeon-ethernet.h
index 1e77f1d23c7410fbc700712e2513364329a99bd0..22d726e0d2d03b2f4859c0645107efe063d2b6bc 100644
--- a/drivers/staging/octeon/octeon-ethernet.h
+++ b/drivers/staging/octeon/octeon-ethernet.h
@@ -90,6 +90,7 @@ int cvm_oct_common_open(struct net_device *dev,
 			void (*link_poll)(struct net_device *), bool poll_now);
 void cvm_oct_note_carrier(struct octeon_ethernet *priv,
 			  cvmx_helper_link_info_t li);
+void cvm_oct_link_poll(struct net_device *dev);
 
 extern int always_use_pow;
 extern int pow_send_group;