diff --git a/drivers/net/phy/phylink.c b/drivers/net/phy/phylink.c
index 7641f1f41e39..e1f01d7fc4da 100644
--- a/drivers/net/phy/phylink.c
+++ b/drivers/net/phy/phylink.c
@@ -1293,7 +1293,8 @@ static void phylink_major_config(struct phylink *pl, bool restart,
 		if (pl->pcs)
 			pl->pcs->phylink = NULL;
 
-		pcs->phylink = pl;
+		if (pcs)
+			pcs->phylink = pl;
 
 		pl->pcs = pcs;
 	}