mutex_unlock(&phydev->lock);
 
        if (trigger)
-               phy_trigger_machine(phydev, sync);
+               phy_trigger_machine(phydev);
 
        return err;
 }
 }
 EXPORT_SYMBOL_GPL(phy_speed_up);
 
+static void phy_queue_state_machine(struct phy_device *phydev,
+                                   unsigned int secs)
+{
+       mod_delayed_work(system_power_efficient_wq, &phydev->state_queue,
+                        secs * HZ);
+}
+
 /**
  * phy_start_machine - start PHY state machine tracking
  * @phydev: the phy_device struct
  */
 void phy_start_machine(struct phy_device *phydev)
 {
-       queue_delayed_work(system_power_efficient_wq, &phydev->state_queue, HZ);
+       phy_queue_state_machine(phydev, 1);
 }
 EXPORT_SYMBOL_GPL(phy_start_machine);
 
  * phy_trigger_machine - trigger the state machine to run
  *
  * @phydev: the phy_device struct
- * @sync: indicate whether we should wait for the workqueue cancelation
  *
  * Description: There has been a change in state which requires that the
  *   state machine runs.
  */
 
-void phy_trigger_machine(struct phy_device *phydev, bool sync)
+void phy_trigger_machine(struct phy_device *phydev)
 {
-       if (sync)
-               cancel_delayed_work_sync(&phydev->state_queue);
-       else
-               cancel_delayed_work(&phydev->state_queue);
-       queue_delayed_work(system_power_efficient_wq, &phydev->state_queue, 0);
+       phy_queue_state_machine(phydev, 0);
 }
 
 /**
        phydev->state = PHY_HALTED;
        mutex_unlock(&phydev->lock);
 
-       phy_trigger_machine(phydev, false);
+       phy_trigger_machine(phydev);
 }
 
 /**
        mutex_unlock(&phydev->lock);
 
        /* reschedule state queue work to run as soon as possible */
-       phy_trigger_machine(phydev, true);
+       phy_trigger_machine(phydev);
 
        if (phy_interrupt_is_valid(phydev) && phy_clear_interrupt(phydev))
                goto phy_err;
        }
        mutex_unlock(&phydev->lock);
 
-       phy_trigger_machine(phydev, true);
+       phy_trigger_machine(phydev);
 }
 EXPORT_SYMBOL(phy_start);
 
         * called from phy_disconnect() synchronously.
         */
        if (phy_polling_mode(phydev) && old_state != PHY_HALTED)
-               queue_delayed_work(system_power_efficient_wq, &phydev->state_queue,
-                                  PHY_STATE_TIME * HZ);
+               phy_queue_state_machine(phydev, PHY_STATE_TIME);
 }
 
 /**
 
 void phy_mac_interrupt(struct phy_device *phydev);
 void phy_start_machine(struct phy_device *phydev);
 void phy_stop_machine(struct phy_device *phydev);
-void phy_trigger_machine(struct phy_device *phydev, bool sync);
+void phy_trigger_machine(struct phy_device *phydev);
 int phy_ethtool_sset(struct phy_device *phydev, struct ethtool_cmd *cmd);
 void phy_ethtool_ksettings_get(struct phy_device *phydev,
                               struct ethtool_link_ksettings *cmd);