diff --git a/target/linux/ar71xx/files/drivers/net/ag71xx/ag71xx_main.c b/target/linux/ar71xx/files/drivers/net/ag71xx/ag71xx_main.c
index 88edb2fd4c9..be8db3e2623 100644
--- a/target/linux/ar71xx/files/drivers/net/ag71xx/ag71xx_main.c
+++ b/target/linux/ar71xx/files/drivers/net/ag71xx/ag71xx_main.c
@@ -917,13 +917,6 @@ static int __init ag71xx_probe(struct platform_device *pdev)
 
 	ag71xx_dump_regs(ag);
 
-	/* Reset the mdio bus explicitly */
-	if (ag->mii_bus) {
-		mutex_lock(&ag->mii_bus->mdio_lock);
-		ag->mii_bus->reset(ag->mii_bus);
-		mutex_unlock(&ag->mii_bus->mdio_lock);
-	}
-
 	platform_set_drvdata(pdev, dev);
 
 	return 0;
diff --git a/target/linux/ar71xx/files/drivers/net/ag71xx/ag71xx_phy.c b/target/linux/ar71xx/files/drivers/net/ag71xx/ag71xx_phy.c
index 0db0a4bf785..547f72edba9 100644
--- a/target/linux/ar71xx/files/drivers/net/ag71xx/ag71xx_phy.c
+++ b/target/linux/ar71xx/files/drivers/net/ag71xx/ag71xx_phy.c
@@ -308,6 +308,11 @@ int ag71xx_phy_connect(struct ag71xx *ag)
 		return -ENODEV;
 	}
 
+	/* Reset the mdio bus explicitly */
+	mutex_lock(&ag->mii_bus->mdio_lock);
+	ag->mii_bus->reset(ag->mii_bus);
+	mutex_unlock(&ag->mii_bus->mdio_lock);
+
 	if (pdata->phy_mask)
 		return ag71xx_phy_connect_multi(ag);