diff --git a/drivers/net/ethernet/mellanox/mlx5/core/en/port.c b/drivers/net/ethernet/mellanox/mlx5/core/en/port.c
index 6049ccf475bc..a4c096a4fed2 100644
--- a/drivers/net/ethernet/mellanox/mlx5/core/en/port.c
+++ b/drivers/net/ethernet/mellanox/mlx5/core/en/port.c
@@ -557,6 +557,7 @@ int mlx5e_set_fec_mode(struct mlx5_core_dev *dev, u16 fec_policy)
 	u32 in[MLX5_ST_SZ_DW(pplm_reg)] = {};
 	int sz = MLX5_ST_SZ_BYTES(pplm_reg);
 	u16 fec_policy_auto = 0;
+	bool fec_set = false;
 	int err;
 	int i;
 
@@ -569,9 +570,6 @@ int mlx5e_set_fec_mode(struct mlx5_core_dev *dev, u16 fec_policy)
 	if (fec_policy >= (1 << MLX5E_FEC_LLRS_272_257_1) && !fec_50g_per_lane)
 		return -EOPNOTSUPP;
 
-	if (fec_policy && !mlx5e_fec_in_caps(dev, fec_policy))
-		return -EOPNOTSUPP;
-
 	MLX5_SET(pplm_reg, in, local_port, 1);
 	err = mlx5_core_access_reg(dev, in, sz, out, sz, MLX5_REG_PPLM, 0, 0);
 	if (err)
@@ -591,12 +589,17 @@ int mlx5e_set_fec_mode(struct mlx5_core_dev *dev, u16 fec_policy)
 		mlx5e_get_fec_cap_field(out, &fec_caps, i);
 
 		/* policy supported for link speed */
-		if (fec_caps & conf_fec)
+		if (fec_caps & conf_fec) {
 			mlx5e_fec_admin_field(out, &conf_fec, 1, i);
-		else
-			/* set FEC to auto*/
+			fec_set = true;
+		} else {
+			/* set FEC to auto */
 			mlx5e_fec_admin_field(out, &fec_policy_auto, 1, i);
+		}
 	}
 
+	if (fec_policy && !fec_set)
+		return -EOPNOTSUPP;
+
 	return mlx5_core_access_reg(dev, out, sz, out, sz, MLX5_REG_PPLM, 0, 1);
 }