diff --git a/drivers/net/phy/phy.c b/drivers/net/phy/phy.c
index f2e896982851..7322471ea223 100644
--- a/drivers/net/phy/phy.c
+++ b/drivers/net/phy/phy.c
@@ -731,6 +731,22 @@ void phy_stop_machine(struct phy_device *phydev)
 	mutex_unlock(&phydev->lock);
 }
 
+static void phy_process_error(struct phy_device *phydev)
+{
+	mutex_lock(&phydev->lock);
+	phydev->state = PHY_HALTED;
+	mutex_unlock(&phydev->lock);
+
+	phy_trigger_machine(phydev);
+}
+
+static void phy_error_precise(struct phy_device *phydev,
+			      const void *func, int err)
+{
+	WARN(1, "%pS: returned: %d\n", func, err);
+	phy_process_error(phydev);
+}
+
 /**
  * phy_error - enter HALTED state for this PHY device
  * @phydev: target phy_device struct
@@ -743,12 +759,7 @@ void phy_stop_machine(struct phy_device *phydev)
 static void phy_error(struct phy_device *phydev)
 {
 	WARN_ON(1);
-
-	mutex_lock(&phydev->lock);
-	phydev->state = PHY_HALTED;
-	mutex_unlock(&phydev->lock);
-
-	phy_trigger_machine(phydev);
+	phy_process_error(phydev);
 }
 
 /**
@@ -957,6 +968,7 @@ void phy_state_machine(struct work_struct *work)
 			container_of(dwork, struct phy_device, state_queue);
 	bool needs_aneg = false, do_suspend = false;
 	enum phy_state old_state;
+	const void *func = NULL;
 	int err = 0;
 
 	mutex_lock(&phydev->lock);
@@ -974,6 +986,7 @@ void phy_state_machine(struct work_struct *work)
 	case PHY_NOLINK:
 	case PHY_RUNNING:
 		err = phy_check_link_status(phydev);
+		func = &phy_check_link_status;
 		break;
 	case PHY_HALTED:
 		if (phydev->link) {
@@ -986,13 +999,15 @@ void phy_state_machine(struct work_struct *work)
 
 	mutex_unlock(&phydev->lock);
 
-	if (needs_aneg)
+	if (needs_aneg) {
 		err = phy_start_aneg(phydev);
-	else if (do_suspend)
+		func = &phy_start_aneg;
+	} else if (do_suspend) {
 		phy_suspend(phydev);
+	}
 
 	if (err < 0)
-		phy_error(phydev);
+		phy_error_precise(phydev, func, err);
 
 	if (old_state != phydev->state) {
 		phydev_dbg(phydev, "PHY state change %s -> %s\n",