diff --git a/drivers/net/ethernet/stmicro/stmmac/dwmac-rk.c b/drivers/net/ethernet/stmicro/stmmac/dwmac-rk.c
index c469abc91fa1..8394a215725d 100644
--- a/drivers/net/ethernet/stmicro/stmmac/dwmac-rk.c
+++ b/drivers/net/ethernet/stmicro/stmmac/dwmac-rk.c
@@ -1347,9 +1347,6 @@ static int phy_power_on(struct rk_priv_data *bsp_priv, bool enable)
 	int ret;
 	struct device *dev = &bsp_priv->pdev->dev;
 
-	if (!ldo)
-		return 0;
-
 	if (enable) {
 		ret = regulator_enable(ldo);
 		if (ret)
@@ -1397,14 +1394,11 @@ static struct rk_priv_data *rk_gmac_setup(struct platform_device *pdev,
 		}
 	}
 
-	bsp_priv->regulator = devm_regulator_get_optional(dev, "phy");
+	bsp_priv->regulator = devm_regulator_get(dev, "phy");
 	if (IS_ERR(bsp_priv->regulator)) {
-		if (PTR_ERR(bsp_priv->regulator) == -EPROBE_DEFER) {
-			dev_err(dev, "phy regulator is not available yet, deferred probing\n");
-			return ERR_PTR(-EPROBE_DEFER);
-		}
-		dev_err(dev, "no regulator found\n");
-		bsp_priv->regulator = NULL;
+		ret = PTR_ERR(bsp_priv->regulator);
+		dev_err_probe(dev, ret, "failed to get phy regulator\n");
+		return ERR_PTR(ret);
 	}
 
 	ret = of_property_read_string(dev->of_node, "clock_in_out", &strings);