diff --git a/drivers/net/ethernet/altera/altera_tse_main.c b/drivers/net/ethernet/altera/altera_tse_main.c
index a0eee7218695..e306342506f1 100644
--- a/drivers/net/ethernet/altera/altera_tse_main.c
+++ b/drivers/net/ethernet/altera/altera_tse_main.c
@@ -692,8 +692,10 @@ static struct phy_device *connect_local_phy(struct net_device *dev)
 
 		phydev = phy_connect(dev, phy_id_fmt, &altera_tse_adjust_link,
 				     priv->phy_iface);
-		if (IS_ERR(phydev))
+		if (IS_ERR(phydev)) {
 			netdev_err(dev, "Could not attach to PHY\n");
+			phydev = NULL;
+		}
 
 	} else {
 		int ret;