diff --git a/target/linux/ath79/files/drivers/net/ethernet/atheros/ag71xx/ag71xx_main.c b/target/linux/ath79/files/drivers/net/ethernet/atheros/ag71xx/ag71xx_main.c
index 8f2a9c77232..f63e93f978a 100644
--- a/target/linux/ath79/files/drivers/net/ethernet/atheros/ag71xx/ag71xx_main.c
+++ b/target/linux/ath79/files/drivers/net/ethernet/atheros/ag71xx/ag71xx_main.c
@@ -1668,7 +1668,11 @@ static int ag71xx_probe(struct platform_device *pdev)
 	ag->stop_desc->ctrl = 0;
 	ag->stop_desc->next = (u32) ag->stop_desc_dma;
 
-	if (of_get_ethdev_address(np, dev)) {
+	err = of_get_ethdev_address(np, dev);
+	if (err) {
+		if (err == -EPROBE_DEFER)
+			return err;
+
 		dev_err(&pdev->dev, "invalid MAC address, using random address\n");
 		eth_hw_addr_random(dev);
 	}