diff --git a/drivers/net/ethernet/aeroflex/greth.c b/drivers/net/ethernet/aeroflex/greth.c
index a593adc16c78..fccb67beebee 100644
--- a/drivers/net/ethernet/aeroflex/greth.c
+++ b/drivers/net/ethernet/aeroflex/greth.c
@@ -1421,6 +1421,8 @@ static int greth_of_probe(struct platform_device *ofdev)
 	/* Check if MAC can handle MDIO interrupts */
 	greth->mdio_int_en = (tmp >> 26) & 1;
 
+	dev->netdev_ops = &greth_netdev_ops;
+
 	err = greth_mdio_init(greth);
 	if (err) {
 		if (netif_msg_probe(greth))
@@ -1498,7 +1500,6 @@ static int greth_of_probe(struct platform_device *ofdev)
 		dev->flags &= ~IFF_MULTICAST;
 	}
 
-	dev->netdev_ops = &greth_netdev_ops;
 	dev->ethtool_ops = &greth_ethtool_ops;
 
 	err = register_netdev(dev);