diff --git a/drivers/net/phy/mdio_bus.c b/drivers/net/phy/mdio_bus.c
index 499003ee8055..388f9922647b 100644
--- a/drivers/net/phy/mdio_bus.c
+++ b/drivers/net/phy/mdio_bus.c
@@ -333,7 +333,7 @@ int __mdiobus_register(struct mii_bus *bus, struct module *owner)
 			struct phy_device *phydev;
 
 			phydev = mdiobus_scan(bus, i);
-			if (IS_ERR(phydev)) {
+			if (IS_ERR(phydev) && (PTR_ERR(phydev) != -ENODEV)) {
 				err = PTR_ERR(phydev);
 				goto error;
 			}