diff --git a/net/ethtool/phy.c b/net/ethtool/phy.c
index f76d94d848d6..ddc6eab701ed 100644
--- a/net/ethtool/phy.c
+++ b/net/ethtool/phy.c
@@ -94,10 +94,12 @@ static int phy_prepare_data(const struct ethnl_req_info *req_info,
 	if (!rep_data->name)
 		return -ENOMEM;
 
-	rep_data->drvname = kstrdup(phydev->drv->name, GFP_KERNEL);
-	if (!rep_data->drvname) {
-		ret = -ENOMEM;
-		goto err_free_name;
+	if (phydev->drv) {
+		rep_data->drvname = kstrdup(phydev->drv->name, GFP_KERNEL);
+		if (!rep_data->drvname) {
+			ret = -ENOMEM;
+			goto err_free_name;
+		}
 	}
 
 	rep_data->upstream_type = pdn->upstream_type;