diff --git a/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/i40e/i40e_common.c b/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/i40e/i40e_common.c
index 7f456e91cd93551ce0cb550ae601eecf25b1343a..c51f2fb9471635ce0c5a5a6c4e1f9493cf89383e 100644
--- a/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/i40e/i40e_common.c
+++ b/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/i40e/i40e_common.c
@@ -2278,13 +2278,15 @@ i40e_status i40e_update_link_info(struct i40e_hw *hw)
 	if (status)
 		return status;
 
-	status = i40e_aq_get_phy_capabilities(hw, false, false, &abilities,
-					      NULL);
-	if (status)
-		return status;
+	if (hw->phy.link_info.link_info & I40E_AQ_MEDIA_AVAILABLE) {
+		status = i40e_aq_get_phy_capabilities(hw, false, false,
+						      &abilities, NULL);
+		if (status)
+			return status;
 
-	memcpy(hw->phy.link_info.module_type, &abilities.module_type,
-	       sizeof(hw->phy.link_info.module_type));
+		memcpy(hw->phy.link_info.module_type, &abilities.module_type,
+		       sizeof(hw->phy.link_info.module_type));
+	}
 
 	return status;
 }