diff --git a/drivers/staging/octeon/ethernet-rgmii.c b/drivers/staging/octeon/ethernet-rgmii.c
index c428a452ddbe5ded0a879ed1b7768a89fda829f6..a6b853118bc53d5ba49e4879f60bac9c0837e4bc 100644
--- a/drivers/staging/octeon/ethernet-rgmii.c
+++ b/drivers/staging/octeon/ethernet-rgmii.c
@@ -314,7 +314,6 @@ int cvm_oct_rgmii_init(struct net_device *dev)
 	int r;
 
 	cvm_oct_common_init(dev);
-	dev->netdev_ops->ndo_stop(dev);
 	INIT_WORK(&priv->port_work, cvm_oct_rgmii_immediate_poll);
 	/*
 	 * Due to GMX errata in CN3XXX series chips, it is necessary
diff --git a/drivers/staging/octeon/ethernet-sgmii.c b/drivers/staging/octeon/ethernet-sgmii.c
index ece2880b991080549c27341995c8c75ad7c5ba6c..cd791c36227325d4f8446717857f288fe87f3d93 100644
--- a/drivers/staging/octeon/ethernet-sgmii.c
+++ b/drivers/staging/octeon/ethernet-sgmii.c
@@ -85,7 +85,6 @@ int cvm_oct_sgmii_open(struct net_device *dev)
 int cvm_oct_sgmii_init(struct net_device *dev)
 {
 	cvm_oct_common_init(dev);
-	dev->netdev_ops->ndo_stop(dev);
 
 	/* FIXME: Need autoneg logic */
 	return 0;
diff --git a/drivers/staging/octeon/ethernet-xaui.c b/drivers/staging/octeon/ethernet-xaui.c
index e8e51ed779d58f60b0263146d7abdbded3c1b18f..5782c38a9c9cadd440634c57b8a49acd4f6d8e48 100644
--- a/drivers/staging/octeon/ethernet-xaui.c
+++ b/drivers/staging/octeon/ethernet-xaui.c
@@ -87,7 +87,6 @@ int cvm_oct_xaui_init(struct net_device *dev)
 	struct octeon_ethernet *priv = netdev_priv(dev);
 
 	cvm_oct_common_init(dev);
-	dev->netdev_ops->ndo_stop(dev);
 	if (!octeon_is_simulation() && priv->phydev == NULL)
 		priv->poll = cvm_oct_xaui_poll;
 
diff --git a/drivers/staging/octeon/ethernet.c b/drivers/staging/octeon/ethernet.c
index 2a3f9e2acbaa11f00dd4150f72ffeff42f2e14ff..fdd23bfa62d1cdece20b973109dc2f08311761b5 100644
--- a/drivers/staging/octeon/ethernet.c
+++ b/drivers/staging/octeon/ethernet.c
@@ -488,6 +488,9 @@ int cvm_oct_common_init(struct net_device *dev)
 	memset(dev->netdev_ops->ndo_get_stats(dev), 0,
 	       sizeof(struct net_device_stats));
 
+	if (dev->netdev_ops->ndo_stop)
+		dev->netdev_ops->ndo_stop(dev);
+
 	return 0;
 }