diff --git a/drivers/net/ethernet/stmicro/stmmac/stmmac_platform.c b/drivers/net/ethernet/stmicro/stmmac/stmmac_platform.c
index 68854f8123ce..28ca5c47ceff 100644
--- a/drivers/net/ethernet/stmicro/stmmac/stmmac_platform.c
+++ b/drivers/net/ethernet/stmicro/stmmac/stmmac_platform.c
@@ -221,8 +221,7 @@ stmmac_probe_config_dt(struct platform_device *pdev, const char **mac)
 	plat->interface = of_get_phy_mode(np);
 
 	/* Get max speed of operation from device tree */
-	if (of_property_read_u32(np, "max-speed", &plat->max_speed))
-		plat->max_speed = -1;
+	of_property_read_u32(np, "max-speed", &plat->max_speed);
 
 	plat->bus_id = of_alias_get_id(np, "ethernet");
 	if (plat->bus_id < 0)