diff --git a/drivers/net/ethernet/renesas/sh_eth.c b/drivers/net/ethernet/renesas/sh_eth.c
index c8fd99b3ca29..4eba8eaabdab 100644
--- a/drivers/net/ethernet/renesas/sh_eth.c
+++ b/drivers/net/ethernet/renesas/sh_eth.c
@@ -2079,18 +2079,10 @@ static void sh_eth_get_regs(struct net_device *ndev, struct ethtool_regs *regs,
 
 static int sh_eth_nway_reset(struct net_device *ndev)
 {
-	struct sh_eth_private *mdp = netdev_priv(ndev);
-	unsigned long flags;
-	int ret;
-
 	if (!ndev->phydev)
 		return -ENODEV;
 
-	spin_lock_irqsave(&mdp->lock, flags);
-	ret = phy_start_aneg(ndev->phydev);
-	spin_unlock_irqrestore(&mdp->lock, flags);
-
-	return ret;
+	return phy_start_aneg(ndev->phydev);
 }
 
 static u32 sh_eth_get_msglevel(struct net_device *ndev)