diff --git a/drivers/net/ethernet/apm/xgene/xgene_enet_hw.c b/drivers/net/ethernet/apm/xgene/xgene_enet_hw.c
index cfa37041ab71..d2103a3199eb 100644
--- a/drivers/net/ethernet/apm/xgene/xgene_enet_hw.c
+++ b/drivers/net/ethernet/apm/xgene/xgene_enet_hw.c
@@ -689,16 +689,23 @@ static int xgene_enet_phy_connect(struct net_device *ndev)
 			netdev_dbg(ndev, "No phy-handle found in DT\n");
 			return -ENODEV;
 		}
-		pdata->phy_dev = of_phy_find_device(phy_np);
-	}
 
-	phy_dev = pdata->phy_dev;
+		pdata->phy_dev = of_phy_connect(ndev, phy_np,
+						&xgene_enet_adjust_link,
+						pdata->phy_mode);
+		if (!pdata->phy_dev) {
+			netdev_err(ndev, "Could not connect to PHY\n");
+			return -ENODEV;
+		}
+	} else {
+		phy_dev = pdata->phy_dev;
 
-	if (!phy_dev ||
-	    phy_connect_direct(ndev, phy_dev, &xgene_enet_adjust_link,
-			       pdata->phy_mode)) {
-		netdev_err(ndev, "Could not connect to PHY\n");
-		return  -ENODEV;
+		if (!phy_dev ||
+		    phy_connect_direct(ndev, phy_dev, &xgene_enet_adjust_link,
+				       pdata->phy_mode)) {
+			netdev_err(ndev, "Could not connect to PHY\n");
+			return  -ENODEV;
+		}
 	}
 
 	pdata->phy_speed = SPEED_UNKNOWN;
diff --git a/drivers/net/ethernet/cavium/thunder/thunder_bgx.c b/drivers/net/ethernet/cavium/thunder/thunder_bgx.c
index 574c49278900..529d212bd071 100644
--- a/drivers/net/ethernet/cavium/thunder/thunder_bgx.c
+++ b/drivers/net/ethernet/cavium/thunder/thunder_bgx.c
@@ -1000,6 +1000,20 @@ static int bgx_init_phy(struct bgx *bgx)
 	return bgx_init_of_phy(bgx);
 }
 
+/*
+ * This drops the refcount obtained from of_phy_find_device() above.
+ * We do not need to keep the refcount after phy_connect_direct() has
+ * taken its own reference.
+ */
+static void bgx_drop_phy_ref(struct bgx *bgx)
+{
+	unsigned int lmac;
+
+	for (lmac = 0; lmac < bgx->lmac_count; lmac++)
+		if (bgx->lmac[lmac].phydev)
+			put_device(&bgx->lmac[lmac].phydev->dev);
+}
+
 static int bgx_probe(struct pci_dev *pdev, const struct pci_device_id *ent)
 {
 	int err;
@@ -1056,9 +1070,14 @@ static int bgx_probe(struct pci_dev *pdev, const struct pci_device_id *ent)
 		}
 	}
 
+	if (np)
+		bgx_drop_phy_ref(bgx);
+
 	return 0;
 
 err_enable:
+	if (np)
+		bgx_drop_phy_ref(bgx);
 	bgx_vnic[bgx->bgx_id] = NULL;
 err_release_regions:
 	pci_release_regions(pdev);
diff --git a/drivers/net/ethernet/freescale/gianfar.c b/drivers/net/ethernet/freescale/gianfar.c
index 4b69d061d90f..65a16086faec 100644
--- a/drivers/net/ethernet/freescale/gianfar.c
+++ b/drivers/net/ethernet/freescale/gianfar.c
@@ -1702,6 +1702,7 @@ static void gfar_configure_serdes(struct net_device *dev)
 	tbiphy = of_phy_find_device(priv->tbi_node);
 	if (!tbiphy) {
 		dev_err(&dev->dev, "error: Could not get TBI device\n");
+		put_device(&tbiphy->dev);
 		return;
 	}
 
@@ -1723,6 +1724,8 @@ static void gfar_configure_serdes(struct net_device *dev)
 	phy_write(tbiphy, MII_BMCR,
 		  BMCR_ANENABLE | BMCR_ANRESTART | BMCR_FULLDPLX |
 		  BMCR_SPEED1000);
+
+	put_device(&tbiphy->dev);
 }
 
 static int __gfar_is_rx_idle(struct gfar_private *priv)
diff --git a/drivers/net/ethernet/freescale/ucc_geth.c b/drivers/net/ethernet/freescale/ucc_geth.c
index 4dd40e057f40..650f7888e32b 100644
--- a/drivers/net/ethernet/freescale/ucc_geth.c
+++ b/drivers/net/ethernet/freescale/ucc_geth.c
@@ -1384,6 +1384,8 @@ static int adjust_enet_interface(struct ucc_geth_private *ugeth)
 		value = phy_read(tbiphy, ENET_TBI_MII_CR);
 		value &= ~0x1000;	/* Turn off autonegotiation */
 		phy_write(tbiphy, ENET_TBI_MII_CR, value);
+
+		put_device(&tbiphy->dev);
 	}
 
 	init_check_frame_length_mode(ug_info->lengthCheckRx, &ug_regs->maccfg2);
@@ -1702,8 +1704,10 @@ static void uec_configure_serdes(struct net_device *dev)
 	 * everything for us?  Resetting it takes the link down and requires
 	 * several seconds for it to come back.
 	 */
-	if (phy_read(tbiphy, ENET_TBI_MII_SR) & TBISR_LSTATUS)
+	if (phy_read(tbiphy, ENET_TBI_MII_SR) & TBISR_LSTATUS) {
+		put_device(&tbiphy->dev);
 		return;
+	}
 
 	/* Single clk mode, mii mode off(for serdes communication) */
 	phy_write(tbiphy, ENET_TBI_MII_ANA, TBIANA_SETTINGS);
@@ -1711,6 +1715,8 @@ static void uec_configure_serdes(struct net_device *dev)
 	phy_write(tbiphy, ENET_TBI_MII_TBICON, TBICON_CLK_SELECT);
 
 	phy_write(tbiphy, ENET_TBI_MII_CR, TBICR_SETTINGS);
+
+	put_device(&tbiphy->dev);
 }
 
 /* Configure the PHY for dev.
diff --git a/drivers/net/ethernet/marvell/mvneta.c b/drivers/net/ethernet/marvell/mvneta.c
index fe2299ac4f5c..0dce037a2682 100644
--- a/drivers/net/ethernet/marvell/mvneta.c
+++ b/drivers/net/ethernet/marvell/mvneta.c
@@ -3173,6 +3173,8 @@ static int mvneta_probe(struct platform_device *pdev)
 		struct phy_device *phy = of_phy_find_device(dn);
 
 		mvneta_fixed_link_update(pp, phy);
+
+		put_device(&phy->dev);
 	}
 
 	return 0;
diff --git a/drivers/net/ethernet/xilinx/xilinx_emaclite.c b/drivers/net/ethernet/xilinx/xilinx_emaclite.c
index 6008eee01a33..cf468c87ce57 100644
--- a/drivers/net/ethernet/xilinx/xilinx_emaclite.c
+++ b/drivers/net/ethernet/xilinx/xilinx_emaclite.c
@@ -828,6 +828,8 @@ static int xemaclite_mdio_setup(struct net_local *lp, struct device *dev)
 		if (!phydev)
 			dev_info(dev,
 				 "MDIO of the phy is not registered yet\n");
+		else
+			put_device(&phydev->dev);
 		return 0;
 	}
 
