diff --git a/drivers/net/dsa/qca8k.c b/drivers/net/dsa/qca8k.c
index dedbc65655169..a2b4d50978680 100644
--- a/drivers/net/dsa/qca8k.c
+++ b/drivers/net/dsa/qca8k.c
@@ -649,8 +649,14 @@ qca8k_mdio_write(struct qca8k_priv *priv, int port, u32 regnum, u16 data)
 	if (ret)
 		return ret;
 
-	return qca8k_busy_wait(priv, QCA8K_MDIO_MASTER_CTRL,
-		QCA8K_MDIO_MASTER_BUSY);
+	ret = qca8k_busy_wait(priv, QCA8K_MDIO_MASTER_CTRL,
+			      QCA8K_MDIO_MASTER_BUSY);
+
+	/* even if the busy_wait timeouts try to clear the MASTER_EN */
+	qca8k_reg_clear(priv, QCA8K_MDIO_MASTER_CTRL,
+			QCA8K_MDIO_MASTER_EN);
+
+	return ret;
 }
 
 static int
@@ -685,6 +691,10 @@ qca8k_mdio_read(struct qca8k_priv *priv, int port, u32 regnum)
 
 	val &= QCA8K_MDIO_MASTER_DATA_MASK;
 
+	/* even if the busy_wait timeouts try to clear the MASTER_EN */
+	qca8k_reg_clear(priv, QCA8K_MDIO_MASTER_CTRL,
+			QCA8K_MDIO_MASTER_EN);
+
 	return val;
 }