diff --git a/drivers/net/ethernet/freescale/dpaa2/dpaa2-eth.h b/drivers/net/ethernet/freescale/dpaa2/dpaa2-eth.h
index c3d456c45102..9b6a89709ce1 100644
--- a/drivers/net/ethernet/freescale/dpaa2/dpaa2-eth.h
+++ b/drivers/net/ethernet/freescale/dpaa2/dpaa2-eth.h
@@ -695,7 +695,9 @@ static inline unsigned int dpaa2_eth_rx_head_room(struct dpaa2_eth_priv *priv)
 
 static inline bool dpaa2_eth_is_type_phy(struct dpaa2_eth_priv *priv)
 {
-	if (priv->mac && priv->mac->attr.link_type == DPMAC_LINK_TYPE_PHY)
+	if (priv->mac &&
+	    (priv->mac->attr.link_type == DPMAC_LINK_TYPE_PHY ||
+	     priv->mac->attr.link_type == DPMAC_LINK_TYPE_BACKPLANE))
 		return true;
 
 	return false;
diff --git a/drivers/net/ethernet/freescale/dpaa2/dpaa2-mac.c b/drivers/net/ethernet/freescale/dpaa2/dpaa2-mac.c
index 3ddfb40eb5e4..ccaf7e35abeb 100644
--- a/drivers/net/ethernet/freescale/dpaa2/dpaa2-mac.c
+++ b/drivers/net/ethernet/freescale/dpaa2/dpaa2-mac.c
@@ -315,8 +315,9 @@ int dpaa2_mac_connect(struct dpaa2_mac *mac)
 		goto err_put_node;
 	}
 
-	if (mac->attr.link_type == DPMAC_LINK_TYPE_PHY &&
-	    mac->attr.eth_if != DPMAC_ETH_IF_RGMII) {
+	if ((mac->attr.link_type == DPMAC_LINK_TYPE_PHY &&
+	     mac->attr.eth_if != DPMAC_ETH_IF_RGMII) ||
+	    mac->attr.link_type == DPMAC_LINK_TYPE_BACKPLANE) {
 		err = dpaa2_pcs_create(mac, dpmac_node, mac->attr.id);
 		if (err)
 			goto err_put_node;