{ 0x7c8, 0x280, RTL_GIGA_MAC_VER_26 },
 
                /* 8168DP family. */
-               { 0x7cf, 0x288, RTL_GIGA_MAC_VER_27 },
+               /* It seems this early RTL8168dp version never made it to
+                * the wild. Let's see whether somebody complains, if not
+                * we'll remove support for this chip version completely.
+                * { 0x7cf, 0x288,      RTL_GIGA_MAC_VER_27 },
+                */
                { 0x7cf, 0x28a, RTL_GIGA_MAC_VER_28 },
                { 0x7cf, 0x28b, RTL_GIGA_MAC_VER_31 },
 
        /* Identify chip attached to board */
        chipset = rtl8169_get_mac_version(xid, tp->supports_gmii);
        if (chipset == RTL_GIGA_MAC_NONE) {
-               dev_err(&pdev->dev, "unknown chip XID %03x\n", xid);
+               dev_err(&pdev->dev, "unknown chip XID %03x, contact r8169 maintainers (see MAINTAINERS file)\n", xid);
                return -ENODEV;
        }