static void cpsw_slave_open(struct cpsw_slave *slave, struct cpsw_priv *priv)
 {
        u32 slave_port;
+       struct phy_device *phy;
        struct cpsw_common *cpsw = priv->cpsw;
 
        soft_reset_slave(slave);
                                   1 << slave_port, 0, 0, ALE_MCAST_FWD_2);
 
        if (slave->data->phy_node) {
-               slave->phy = of_phy_connect(priv->ndev, slave->data->phy_node,
+               phy = of_phy_connect(priv->ndev, slave->data->phy_node,
                                 &cpsw_adjust_link, 0, slave->data->phy_if);
-               if (!slave->phy) {
+               if (!phy) {
                        dev_err(priv->dev, "phy \"%s\" not found on slave %d\n",
                                slave->data->phy_node->full_name,
                                slave->slave_num);
                        return;
                }
        } else {
-               slave->phy = phy_connect(priv->ndev, slave->data->phy_id,
+               phy = phy_connect(priv->ndev, slave->data->phy_id,
                                 &cpsw_adjust_link, slave->data->phy_if);
-               if (IS_ERR(slave->phy)) {
+               if (IS_ERR(phy)) {
                        dev_err(priv->dev,
                                "phy \"%s\" not found on slave %d, err %ld\n",
                                slave->data->phy_id, slave->slave_num,
-                               PTR_ERR(slave->phy));
-                       slave->phy = NULL;
+                               PTR_ERR(phy));
                        return;
                }
        }
 
+       slave->phy = phy;
+
        phy_attached_info(slave->phy);
 
        phy_start(slave->phy);