diff --git a/drivers/net/ethernet/ti/cpsw.c b/drivers/net/ethernet/ti/cpsw.c
index 1d860ce914ed..542c5114851c 100644
--- a/drivers/net/ethernet/ti/cpsw.c
+++ b/drivers/net/ethernet/ti/cpsw.c
@@ -1896,6 +1896,11 @@ static int cpsw_probe_dt(struct cpsw_platform_data *data,
 			memcpy(slave_data->mac_addr, mac_addr, ETH_ALEN);
 
 		slave_data->phy_if = of_get_phy_mode(slave_node);
+		if (slave_data->phy_if < 0) {
+			pr_err("Missing or malformed slave[%d] phy-mode property\n",
+			       i);
+			return slave_data->phy_if;
+		}
 
 		if (data->dual_emac) {
 			if (of_property_read_u32(slave_node, "dual_emac_res_vlan",