diff --git a/drivers/net/dsa/mv88e6xxx/serdes.c b/drivers/net/dsa/mv88e6xxx/serdes.c
index 47bf87d530b0..d94150d8f3f4 100644
--- a/drivers/net/dsa/mv88e6xxx/serdes.c
+++ b/drivers/net/dsa/mv88e6xxx/serdes.c
@@ -53,6 +53,14 @@ static int mv88e6xxx_serdes_pcs_get_state(struct mv88e6xxx_chip *chip,
 					  u16 bmsr, u16 lpa, u16 status,
 					  struct phylink_link_state *state)
 {
+	state->link = false;
+
+	/* If the BMSR reports that the link had failed, report this to
+	 * phylink.
+	 */
+	if (!(bmsr & BMSR_LSTATUS))
+		return 0;
+
 	state->link = !!(status & MV88E6390_SGMII_PHY_STATUS_LINK);
 	state->an_complete = !!(bmsr & BMSR_ANEGCOMPLETE);