diff --git a/drivers/net/phy/mdio-octeon.c b/drivers/net/phy/mdio-octeon.c
index a872aea4ed745..f443d43edd80e 100644
--- a/drivers/net/phy/mdio-octeon.c
+++ b/drivers/net/phy/mdio-octeon.c
@@ -88,6 +88,7 @@ static int octeon_mdiobus_write(struct mii_bus *bus, int phy_id,
 static int __init octeon_mdiobus_probe(struct platform_device *pdev)
 {
 	struct octeon_mdiobus *bus;
+	union cvmx_smix_en smi_en;
 	int i;
 	int err = -ENOENT;
 
@@ -103,6 +104,10 @@ static int __init octeon_mdiobus_probe(struct platform_device *pdev)
 	if (!bus->mii_bus)
 		goto err;
 
+	smi_en.u64 = 0;
+	smi_en.s.en = 1;
+	cvmx_write_csr(CVMX_SMIX_EN(bus->unit), smi_en.u64);
+
 	/*
 	 * Standard Octeon evaluation boards don't support phy
 	 * interrupts, we need to poll.
@@ -133,17 +138,22 @@ static int __init octeon_mdiobus_probe(struct platform_device *pdev)
 
 err:
 	devm_kfree(&pdev->dev, bus);
+	smi_en.u64 = 0;
+	cvmx_write_csr(CVMX_SMIX_EN(bus->unit), smi_en.u64);
 	return err;
 }
 
 static int __exit octeon_mdiobus_remove(struct platform_device *pdev)
 {
 	struct octeon_mdiobus *bus;
+	union cvmx_smix_en smi_en;
 
 	bus = dev_get_drvdata(&pdev->dev);
 
 	mdiobus_unregister(bus->mii_bus);
 	mdiobus_free(bus->mii_bus);
+	smi_en.u64 = 0;
+	cvmx_write_csr(CVMX_SMIX_EN(bus->unit), smi_en.u64);
 	return 0;
 }