diff --git a/drivers/usb/gadget/function/u_ether.c b/drivers/usb/gadget/function/u_ether.c
index 1b3e674e6330..2fe91f120bb1 100644
--- a/drivers/usb/gadget/function/u_ether.c
+++ b/drivers/usb/gadget/function/u_ether.c
@@ -772,9 +772,13 @@ struct eth_dev *gether_setup_name(struct usb_gadget *g,
 	dev->qmult = qmult;
 	snprintf(net->name, sizeof(net->name), "%s%%d", netname);
 
-	if (get_ether_addr(dev_addr, net->dev_addr))
+	if (get_ether_addr(dev_addr, net->dev_addr)) {
+		net->addr_assign_type = NET_ADDR_RANDOM;
 		dev_warn(&g->dev,
 			"using random %s ethernet address\n", "self");
+	} else {
+		net->addr_assign_type = NET_ADDR_SET;
+	}
 	if (get_ether_addr(host_addr, dev->host_mac))
 		dev_warn(&g->dev,
 			"using random %s ethernet address\n", "host");
@@ -831,6 +835,9 @@ struct net_device *gether_setup_name_default(const char *netname)
 	INIT_LIST_HEAD(&dev->tx_reqs);
 	INIT_LIST_HEAD(&dev->rx_reqs);
 
+	/* by default we always have a random MAC address */
+	net->addr_assign_type = NET_ADDR_RANDOM;
+
 	skb_queue_head_init(&dev->rx_frames);
 
 	/* network device setup */
@@ -868,7 +875,6 @@ int gether_register_netdev(struct net_device *net)
 	g = dev->gadget;
 
 	memcpy(net->dev_addr, dev->dev_mac, ETH_ALEN);
-	net->addr_assign_type = NET_ADDR_RANDOM;
 
 	status = register_netdev(net);
 	if (status < 0) {
@@ -908,6 +914,7 @@ int gether_set_dev_addr(struct net_device *net, const char *dev_addr)
 	if (get_ether_addr(dev_addr, new_addr))
 		return -EINVAL;
 	memcpy(dev->dev_mac, new_addr, ETH_ALEN);
+	net->addr_assign_type = NET_ADDR_SET;
 	return 0;
 }
 EXPORT_SYMBOL_GPL(gether_set_dev_addr);