diff --git a/drivers/net/phy/broadcom.c b/drivers/net/phy/broadcom.c
index 4b2808e..9871cc3 100644
--- a/drivers/net/phy/broadcom.c
+++ b/drivers/net/phy/broadcom.c
@@ -84,11 +84,14 @@ static int bcm54xx_parse_status(struct phy_device *phydev)
 
 static int bcm54xx_startup(struct phy_device *phydev)
 {
+	int ret;
+
 	/* Read the Status (2x to make sure link is right) */
-	genphy_update_link(phydev);
-	bcm54xx_parse_status(phydev);
+	ret = genphy_update_link(phydev);
+	if (ret)
+		return ret;
 
-	return 0;
+	return bcm54xx_parse_status(phydev);
 }
 
 /* Broadcom BCM5482S */
@@ -139,11 +142,14 @@ static int bcm5482_config(struct phy_device *phydev)
 
 static int bcm_cygnus_startup(struct phy_device *phydev)
 {
+	int ret;
+
 	/* Read the Status (2x to make sure link is right) */
-	genphy_update_link(phydev);
-	genphy_parse_link(phydev);
+	ret = genphy_update_link(phydev);
+	if (ret)
+		return ret;
 
-	return 0;
+	return genphy_parse_link(phydev);
 }
 
 static int bcm_cygnus_config(struct phy_device *phydev)
@@ -239,17 +245,21 @@ static u32 bcm5482_parse_serdes_sr(struct phy_device *phydev)
  */
 static int bcm5482_startup(struct phy_device *phydev)
 {
+	int ret;
+
 	if (bcm5482_is_serdes(phydev)) {
 		bcm5482_parse_serdes_sr(phydev);
 		phydev->port = PORT_FIBRE;
-	} else {
-		/* Wait for auto-negotiation to complete or fail */
-		genphy_update_link(phydev);
-		/* Parse BCM54xx copper aux status register */
-		bcm54xx_parse_status(phydev);
+		return 0;
 	}
 
-	return 0;
+	/* Wait for auto-negotiation to complete or fail */
+	ret = genphy_update_link(phydev);
+	if (ret)
+		return ret;
+
+	/* Parse BCM54xx copper aux status register */
+	return bcm54xx_parse_status(phydev);
 }
 
 static struct phy_driver BCM5461S_driver = {
diff --git a/drivers/net/phy/davicom.c b/drivers/net/phy/davicom.c
index 0c039fe..0a6e410 100644
--- a/drivers/net/phy/davicom.c
+++ b/drivers/net/phy/davicom.c
@@ -60,10 +60,13 @@ static int dm9161_parse_status(struct phy_device *phydev)
 
 static int dm9161_startup(struct phy_device *phydev)
 {
-	genphy_update_link(phydev);
-	dm9161_parse_status(phydev);
+	int ret;
 
-	return 0;
+	ret = genphy_update_link(phydev);
+	if (ret)
+		return ret;
+
+	return dm9161_parse_status(phydev);
 }
 
 static struct phy_driver DM9161_driver = {
diff --git a/drivers/net/phy/et1011c.c b/drivers/net/phy/et1011c.c
index 70c15e2..2fe0132 100644
--- a/drivers/net/phy/et1011c.c
+++ b/drivers/net/phy/et1011c.c
@@ -79,9 +79,13 @@ static int et1011c_parse_status(struct phy_device *phydev)
 
 static int et1011c_startup(struct phy_device *phydev)
 {
-	genphy_update_link(phydev);
-	et1011c_parse_status(phydev);
-	return 0;
+	int ret;
+
+	ret = genphy_update_link(phydev);
+	if (ret)
+		return ret;
+
+	return et1011c_parse_status(phydev);
 }
 
 static struct phy_driver et1011c_driver = {
diff --git a/drivers/net/phy/lxt.c b/drivers/net/phy/lxt.c
index 91838ce..9abc2a8 100644
--- a/drivers/net/phy/lxt.c
+++ b/drivers/net/phy/lxt.c
@@ -49,10 +49,13 @@ static int lxt971_parse_status(struct phy_device *phydev)
 
 static int lxt971_startup(struct phy_device *phydev)
 {
-	genphy_update_link(phydev);
-	lxt971_parse_status(phydev);
+	int ret;
 
-	return 0;
+	ret = genphy_update_link(phydev);
+	if (ret)
+		return ret;
+
+	return lxt971_parse_status(phydev);
 }
 
 static struct phy_driver LXT971_driver = {
diff --git a/drivers/net/phy/marvell.c b/drivers/net/phy/marvell.c
index d24451b..64713fb 100644
--- a/drivers/net/phy/marvell.c
+++ b/drivers/net/phy/marvell.c
@@ -162,10 +162,13 @@ static int m88e1xxx_parse_status(struct phy_device *phydev)
 
 static int m88e1011s_startup(struct phy_device *phydev)
 {
-	genphy_update_link(phydev);
-	m88e1xxx_parse_status(phydev);
+	int ret;
 
-	return 0;
+	ret = genphy_update_link(phydev);
+	if (ret)
+		return ret;
+
+	return m88e1xxx_parse_status(phydev);
 }
 
 /* Marvell 88E1111S */
@@ -358,13 +361,16 @@ static int m88e1118_config(struct phy_device *phydev)
 
 static int m88e1118_startup(struct phy_device *phydev)
 {
+	int ret;
+
 	/* Change Page Number */
 	phy_write(phydev, MDIO_DEVAD_NONE, MIIM_88E1118_PHY_PAGE, 0x0000);
 
-	genphy_update_link(phydev);
-	m88e1xxx_parse_status(phydev);
+	ret = genphy_update_link(phydev);
+	if (ret)
+		return ret;
 
-	return 0;
+	return m88e1xxx_parse_status(phydev);
 }
 
 /* Marvell 88E1121R */
@@ -421,12 +427,15 @@ static int m88e1145_config(struct phy_device *phydev)
 
 static int m88e1145_startup(struct phy_device *phydev)
 {
-	genphy_update_link(phydev);
+	int ret;
+
+	ret = genphy_update_link(phydev);
+	if (ret)
+		return ret;
+
 	phy_write(phydev, MDIO_DEVAD_NONE, MIIM_88E1145_PHY_LED_CONTROL,
 			MIIM_88E1145_PHY_LED_DIRECT);
-	m88e1xxx_parse_status(phydev);
-
-	return 0;
+	return m88e1xxx_parse_status(phydev);
 }
 
 /* Marvell 88E1149S */
diff --git a/drivers/net/phy/micrel.c b/drivers/net/phy/micrel.c
index 8fcf737..b08788a 100644
--- a/drivers/net/phy/micrel.c
+++ b/drivers/net/phy/micrel.c
@@ -181,7 +181,12 @@ static struct phy_driver KS8721_driver = {
 static int ksz90xx_startup(struct phy_device *phydev)
 {
 	unsigned phy_ctl;
-	genphy_update_link(phydev);
+	int ret;
+
+	ret = genphy_update_link(phydev);
+	if (ret)
+		return ret;
+
 	phy_ctl = phy_read(phydev, MDIO_DEVAD_NONE, MII_KSZ90xx_PHY_CTL);
 
 	if (phy_ctl & MIIM_KSZ90xx_PHYCTL_DUPLEX)
diff --git a/drivers/net/phy/natsemi.c b/drivers/net/phy/natsemi.c
index d2e4c3c..1592e9b 100644
--- a/drivers/net/phy/natsemi.c
+++ b/drivers/net/phy/natsemi.c
@@ -93,10 +93,13 @@ static int dp83865_parse_status(struct phy_device *phydev)
 
 static int dp83865_startup(struct phy_device *phydev)
 {
-	genphy_update_link(phydev);
-	dp83865_parse_status(phydev);
+	int ret;
 
-	return 0;
+	ret = genphy_update_link(phydev);
+	if (ret)
+		return ret;
+
+	return dp83865_parse_status(phydev);
 }
 
 
@@ -134,10 +137,13 @@ static int dp83848_parse_status(struct phy_device *phydev)
 
 static int dp83848_startup(struct phy_device *phydev)
 {
-	genphy_update_link(phydev);
-	dp83848_parse_status(phydev);
+	int ret;
 
-	return 0;
+	ret = genphy_update_link(phydev);
+	if (ret)
+		return ret;
+
+	return dp83848_parse_status(phydev);
 }
 
 static struct phy_driver DP83848_driver = {
diff --git a/drivers/net/phy/phy.c b/drivers/net/phy/phy.c
index 68e752e..98986bb 100644
--- a/drivers/net/phy/phy.c
+++ b/drivers/net/phy/phy.c
@@ -431,10 +431,13 @@ int genphy_config(struct phy_device *phydev)
 
 int genphy_startup(struct phy_device *phydev)
 {
-	genphy_update_link(phydev);
-	genphy_parse_link(phydev);
+	int ret;
 
-	return 0;
+	ret = genphy_update_link(phydev);
+	if (ret)
+		return ret;
+
+	return genphy_parse_link(phydev);
 }
 
 int genphy_shutdown(struct phy_device *phydev)
diff --git a/drivers/net/phy/realtek.c b/drivers/net/phy/realtek.c
index 9d7f55b..7a99cb0 100644
--- a/drivers/net/phy/realtek.c
+++ b/drivers/net/phy/realtek.c
@@ -208,28 +208,38 @@ static int rtl8211f_parse_status(struct phy_device *phydev)
 
 static int rtl8211x_startup(struct phy_device *phydev)
 {
+	int ret;
+
 	/* Read the Status (2x to make sure link is right) */
-	genphy_update_link(phydev);
-	rtl8211x_parse_status(phydev);
+	ret = genphy_update_link(phydev);
+	if (ret)
+		return ret;
 
-	return 0;
+	return rtl8211x_parse_status(phydev);
 }
 
 static int rtl8211e_startup(struct phy_device *phydev)
 {
-	genphy_update_link(phydev);
-	genphy_parse_link(phydev);
+	int ret;
 
-	return 0;
+	ret = genphy_update_link(phydev);
+	if (ret)
+		return ret;
+
+	return genphy_parse_link(phydev);
 }
 
 static int rtl8211f_startup(struct phy_device *phydev)
 {
+	int ret;
+
+	/* Read the Status (2x to make sure link is right) */
+	ret = genphy_update_link(phydev);
+	if (ret)
+		return ret;
 	/* Read the Status (2x to make sure link is right) */
-	genphy_update_link(phydev);
-	rtl8211f_parse_status(phydev);
 
-	return 0;
+	return rtl8211f_parse_status(phydev);
 }
 
 /* Support for RTL8211B PHY */
diff --git a/drivers/net/phy/smsc.c b/drivers/net/phy/smsc.c
index 34986a2..313fcdf 100644
--- a/drivers/net/phy/smsc.c
+++ b/drivers/net/phy/smsc.c
@@ -34,9 +34,13 @@ static int smsc_parse_status(struct phy_device *phydev)
 
 static int smsc_startup(struct phy_device *phydev)
 {
-	genphy_update_link(phydev);
-	smsc_parse_status(phydev);
-	return 0;
+	int ret;
+
+	ret = genphy_update_link(phydev);
+	if (ret)
+		return ret;
+
+	return smsc_parse_status(phydev);
 }
 
 static struct phy_driver lan8700_driver = {
diff --git a/drivers/net/phy/vitesse.c b/drivers/net/phy/vitesse.c
index 941d076..2635b82 100644
--- a/drivers/net/phy/vitesse.c
+++ b/drivers/net/phy/vitesse.c
@@ -112,10 +112,12 @@ static int vitesse_parse_status(struct phy_device *phydev)
 
 static int vitesse_startup(struct phy_device *phydev)
 {
-	genphy_update_link(phydev);
-	vitesse_parse_status(phydev);
+	int ret;
 
-	return 0;
+	ret = genphy_update_link(phydev);
+	if (ret)
+		return ret;
+	return vitesse_parse_status(phydev);
 }
 
 static int cis8204_config(struct phy_device *phydev)