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 85f17b9feb..9b88b3d417 100644
--- a/target/linux/ar71xx/files/drivers/net/ag71xx/ag71xx_phy.c
+++ b/target/linux/ar71xx/files/drivers/net/ag71xx/ag71xx_phy.c
@@ -198,6 +198,10 @@ int __devinit ag71xx_phy_connect(struct ag71xx *ag)
 {
 	struct ag71xx_platform_data *pdata = ag71xx_get_pdata(ag);
 
+	if (pdata->mii_bus_dev == NULL ||
+	    pdata->mii_bus_dev->bus == NULL )
+		return ag71xx_phy_connect_fixed(ag);
+
 	ag->mii_bus = dev_to_mii_bus(pdata->mii_bus_dev);
 	if (ag->mii_bus == NULL) {
 		printk(KERN_ERR "%s: unable to find MII bus on device '%s'\n",