diff --git a/drivers/net/cxgb3/t3_hw.c b/drivers/net/cxgb3/t3_hw.c
index 505a1871d080..fc7db8a9ba89 100644
--- a/drivers/net/cxgb3/t3_hw.c
+++ b/drivers/net/cxgb3/t3_hw.c
@@ -3866,11 +3866,11 @@ int t3_prep_adapter(struct adapter *adapter, const struct adapter_info *ai,
 			return -EINVAL;
 		}
 
+		p->phy.mdio.dev = adapter->port[i];
 		ret = pti->phy_prep(&p->phy, adapter, ai->phy_base_addr + j,
 				    ai->mdio_ops);
 		if (ret)
 			return ret;
-		p->phy.mdio.dev = adapter->port[i];
 		mac_prep(&p->mac, adapter, j);
 
 		/*