diff --git a/drivers/net/phy/phylink.c b/drivers/net/phy/phylink.c
index 0a0abe8e4be0..5defc721dd05 100644
--- a/drivers/net/phy/phylink.c
+++ b/drivers/net/phy/phylink.c
@@ -1724,7 +1724,7 @@ int phylink_ethtool_set_pauseparam(struct phylink *pl,
 		return -EOPNOTSUPP;
 
 	if (!phylink_test(pl->supported, Asym_Pause) &&
-	    !pause->autoneg && pause->rx_pause != pause->tx_pause)
+	    pause->rx_pause != pause->tx_pause)
 		return -EINVAL;
 
 	pause_state = 0;