diff --git a/drivers/net/phy/fixed_phy.c b/drivers/net/phy/fixed_phy.c
index d98a0d90b5a5..d84e30c46824 100644
--- a/drivers/net/phy/fixed_phy.c
+++ b/drivers/net/phy/fixed_phy.c
@@ -48,12 +48,12 @@ static struct fixed_mdio_bus platform_fmb = {
 	.phys = LIST_HEAD_INIT(platform_fmb.phys),
 };
 
-static int fixed_phy_update_regs(struct fixed_phy *fp)
+static void fixed_phy_update_regs(struct fixed_phy *fp)
 {
 	if (gpio_is_valid(fp->link_gpio))
 		fp->status.link = !!gpio_get_value_cansleep(fp->link_gpio);
 
-	return swphy_update_regs(fp->regs, &fp->status);
+	swphy_update_regs(fp->regs, &fp->status);
 }
 
 static int fixed_mdio_read(struct mii_bus *bus, int phy_addr, int reg_num)
@@ -160,6 +160,10 @@ int fixed_phy_add(unsigned int irq, int phy_addr,
 	struct fixed_mdio_bus *fmb = &platform_fmb;
 	struct fixed_phy *fp;
 
+	ret = swphy_validate_state(status);
+	if (ret < 0)
+		return ret;
+
 	fp = kzalloc(sizeof(*fp), GFP_KERNEL);
 	if (!fp)
 		return -ENOMEM;
@@ -180,17 +184,12 @@ int fixed_phy_add(unsigned int irq, int phy_addr,
 			goto err_regs;
 	}
 
-	ret = fixed_phy_update_regs(fp);
-	if (ret)
-		goto err_gpio;
+	fixed_phy_update_regs(fp);
 
 	list_add_tail(&fp->node, &fmb->phys);
 
 	return 0;
 
-err_gpio:
-	if (gpio_is_valid(fp->link_gpio))
-		gpio_free(fp->link_gpio);
 err_regs:
 	kfree(fp);
 	return ret;
diff --git a/drivers/net/phy/swphy.c b/drivers/net/phy/swphy.c
index c88a194b4cb6..21a9bd8a7830 100644
--- a/drivers/net/phy/swphy.c
+++ b/drivers/net/phy/swphy.c
@@ -86,6 +86,29 @@ static int swphy_decode_speed(int speed)
 	}
 }
 
+/**
+ * swphy_validate_state - validate the software phy status
+ * @state: software phy status
+ *
+ * This checks that we can represent the state stored in @state can be
+ * represented in the emulated MII registers.  Returns 0 if it can,
+ * otherwise returns -EINVAL.
+ */
+int swphy_validate_state(const struct fixed_phy_status *state)
+{
+	int err;
+
+	if (state->link) {
+		err = swphy_decode_speed(state->speed);
+		if (err < 0) {
+			pr_warn("swphy: unknown speed\n");
+			return -EINVAL;
+		}
+	}
+	return 0;
+}
+EXPORT_SYMBOL_GPL(swphy_validate_state);
+
 /**
  * swphy_update_regs - update MII register array with fixed phy state
  * @regs: array of 32 registers to update
@@ -94,7 +117,7 @@ static int swphy_decode_speed(int speed)
  * Update the array of MII registers with the fixed phy link, speed,
  * duplex and pause mode settings.
  */
-int swphy_update_regs(u16 *regs, const struct fixed_phy_status *state)
+void swphy_update_regs(u16 *regs, const struct fixed_phy_status *state)
 {
 	int speed_index, duplex_index;
 	u16 bmsr = BMSR_ANEGCAPABLE;
@@ -103,10 +126,8 @@ int swphy_update_regs(u16 *regs, const struct fixed_phy_status *state)
 	u16 lpa = 0;
 
 	speed_index = swphy_decode_speed(state->speed);
-	if (speed_index < 0) {
-		pr_warn("swphy: unknown speed\n");
-		return -EINVAL;
-	}
+	if (WARN_ON(speed_index < 0))
+		return;
 
 	duplex_index = state->duplex ? SWMII_DUPLEX_FULL : SWMII_DUPLEX_HALF;
 
@@ -133,7 +154,5 @@ int swphy_update_regs(u16 *regs, const struct fixed_phy_status *state)
 	regs[MII_BMCR] = bmcr;
 	regs[MII_LPA] = lpa;
 	regs[MII_STAT1000] = lpagb;
-
-	return 0;
 }
 EXPORT_SYMBOL_GPL(swphy_update_regs);
diff --git a/drivers/net/phy/swphy.h b/drivers/net/phy/swphy.h
index feaa38ff86a2..33d2e061896e 100644
--- a/drivers/net/phy/swphy.h
+++ b/drivers/net/phy/swphy.h
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@
 
 struct fixed_phy_status;
 
-int swphy_update_regs(u16 *regs, const struct fixed_phy_status *state);
+int swphy_validate_state(const struct fixed_phy_status *state);
+void swphy_update_regs(u16 *regs, const struct fixed_phy_status *state);
 
 #endif