static int gfar_of_init(struct platform_device *ofdev, struct net_device **pdev)
 {
        const char *model;
-       const char *ctype;
        const void *mac_addr;
        int err = 0, i;
        struct net_device *dev = NULL;
                                     FSL_GIANFAR_DEV_HAS_TIMER |
                                     FSL_GIANFAR_DEV_HAS_RX_FILER;
 
-       err = of_property_read_string(np, "phy-connection-type", &ctype);
-
-       /* We only care about rgmii-id.  The rest are autodetected */
-       if (err == 0 && !strcmp(ctype, "rgmii-id"))
-               priv->interface = PHY_INTERFACE_MODE_RGMII_ID;
+       /* Use PHY connection type from the DT node if one is specified there.
+        * rgmii-id really needs to be specified. Other types can be
+        * detected by hardware
+        */
+       err = of_get_phy_mode(np);
+       if (err >= 0)
+               priv->interface = err;
        else
-               priv->interface = PHY_INTERFACE_MODE_MII;
+               priv->interface = gfar_get_interface(dev);
 
        if (of_find_property(np, "fsl,magic-packet", NULL))
                priv->device_flags |= FSL_GIANFAR_DEV_HAS_MAGIC_PACKET;
 {
        __ETHTOOL_DECLARE_LINK_MODE_MASK(mask) = { 0, };
        struct gfar_private *priv = netdev_priv(dev);
-       phy_interface_t interface;
+       phy_interface_t interface = priv->interface;
        struct phy_device *phydev;
        struct ethtool_eee edata;
 
        priv->oldspeed = 0;
        priv->oldduplex = -1;
 
-       interface = gfar_get_interface(dev);
-
        phydev = of_phy_connect(dev, priv->phy_node, &adjust_link, 0,
                                interface);
        if (!phydev) {