diff --git a/drivers/net/ethernet/actions/owl-emac.c b/drivers/net/ethernet/actions/owl-emac.c
index 0a08da799255..2538275a1e57 100644
--- a/drivers/net/ethernet/actions/owl-emac.c
+++ b/drivers/net/ethernet/actions/owl-emac.c
@@ -1552,6 +1552,8 @@ static int owl_emac_probe(struct platform_device *pdev)
 		return ret;
 	}
 
+	netdev->netdev_ops = &owl_emac_netdev_ops;
+
 	ret = owl_emac_phy_init(netdev);
 	if (ret) {
 		dev_err(dev, "failed to initialize PHY\n");
@@ -1563,7 +1565,6 @@ static int owl_emac_probe(struct platform_device *pdev)
 	netdev->min_mtu = OWL_EMAC_MTU_MIN;
 	netdev->max_mtu = OWL_EMAC_MTU_MAX;
 	netdev->watchdog_timeo = OWL_EMAC_TX_TIMEOUT;
-	netdev->netdev_ops = &owl_emac_netdev_ops;
 	netdev->ethtool_ops = &owl_emac_ethtool_ops;
 	netif_napi_add(netdev, &priv->napi, owl_emac_poll);