diff --git a/net/dsa/slave.c b/net/dsa/slave.c
index 75b4cd4bcafb..59759ceb426a 100644
--- a/net/dsa/slave.c
+++ b/net/dsa/slave.c
@@ -1327,13 +1327,11 @@ static int dsa_slave_phy_setup(struct net_device *slave_dev)
 		 * use the switch internal MDIO bus instead
 		 */
 		ret = dsa_slave_phy_connect(slave_dev, dp->index);
-		if (ret) {
-			netdev_err(slave_dev,
-				   "failed to connect to port %d: %d\n",
-				   dp->index, ret);
-			phylink_destroy(dp->pl);
-			return ret;
-		}
+	}
+	if (ret) {
+		netdev_err(slave_dev, "failed to connect to PHY: %pe\n",
+			   ERR_PTR(ret));
+		phylink_destroy(dp->pl);
 	}
 
 	return ret;