diff --git a/drivers/net/ethernet/stmicro/stmmac/stmmac.h b/drivers/net/ethernet/stmicro/stmmac/stmmac.h
index c602ace572b2..3395188c198a 100644
--- a/drivers/net/ethernet/stmicro/stmmac/stmmac.h
+++ b/drivers/net/ethernet/stmicro/stmmac/stmmac.h
@@ -282,7 +282,6 @@ struct stmmac_priv {
 	struct stmmac_channel channel[STMMAC_CH_MAX];
 
 	int speed;
-	unsigned int flow_ctrl;
 	unsigned int pause_time;
 	struct mii_bus *mii;
 
diff --git a/drivers/net/ethernet/stmicro/stmmac/stmmac_main.c b/drivers/net/ethernet/stmicro/stmmac/stmmac_main.c
index c3a13bd8c9b3..4d542f482ecb 100644
--- a/drivers/net/ethernet/stmicro/stmmac/stmmac_main.c
+++ b/drivers/net/ethernet/stmicro/stmmac/stmmac_main.c
@@ -88,9 +88,9 @@ MODULE_PARM_DESC(phyaddr, "Physical device address");
 #define STMMAC_XDP_TX		BIT(1)
 #define STMMAC_XDP_REDIRECT	BIT(2)
 
-static int flow_ctrl = FLOW_AUTO;
+static int flow_ctrl = 0xdead;
 module_param(flow_ctrl, int, 0644);
-MODULE_PARM_DESC(flow_ctrl, "Flow control ability [on/off]");
+MODULE_PARM_DESC(flow_ctrl, "Flow control ability [on/off] (obsolete)");
 
 static int pause = PAUSE_TIME;
 module_param(pause, int, 0644);
@@ -188,12 +188,11 @@ static void stmmac_verify_args(void)
 		watchdog = TX_TIMEO;
 	if (unlikely((buf_sz < DEFAULT_BUFSIZE) || (buf_sz > BUF_SIZE_16KiB)))
 		buf_sz = DEFAULT_BUFSIZE;
-	if (unlikely(flow_ctrl > 1))
-		flow_ctrl = FLOW_AUTO;
-	else if (likely(flow_ctrl < 0))
-		flow_ctrl = FLOW_OFF;
 	if (unlikely((pause < 0) || (pause > 0xffff)))
 		pause = PAUSE_TIME;
+
+	if (flow_ctrl != 0xdead)
+		pr_warn("stmmac: module parameter 'flow_ctrl' is obsolete - please remove from your module configuration\n");
 }
 
 static void __stmmac_disable_all_queues(struct stmmac_priv *priv)
@@ -858,14 +857,16 @@ static void stmmac_release_ptp(struct stmmac_priv *priv)
  *  stmmac_mac_flow_ctrl - Configure flow control in all queues
  *  @priv: driver private structure
  *  @duplex: duplex passed to the next function
+ *  @flow_ctrl: desired flow control modes
  *  Description: It is used for configuring the flow control in all queues
  */
-static void stmmac_mac_flow_ctrl(struct stmmac_priv *priv, u32 duplex)
+static void stmmac_mac_flow_ctrl(struct stmmac_priv *priv, u32 duplex,
+				 unsigned int flow_ctrl)
 {
 	u32 tx_cnt = priv->plat->tx_queues_to_use;
 
-	stmmac_flow_ctrl(priv, priv->hw, duplex, priv->flow_ctrl,
-			 priv->pause_time, tx_cnt);
+	stmmac_flow_ctrl(priv, priv->hw, duplex, flow_ctrl, priv->pause_time,
+			 tx_cnt);
 }
 
 static unsigned long stmmac_mac_get_caps(struct phylink_config *config,
@@ -925,6 +926,7 @@ static void stmmac_mac_link_up(struct phylink_config *config,
 			       bool tx_pause, bool rx_pause)
 {
 	struct stmmac_priv *priv = netdev_priv(to_net_dev(config->dev));
+	unsigned int flow_ctrl;
 	u32 old_ctrl, ctrl;
 
 	if ((priv->plat->flags & STMMAC_FLAG_SERDES_UP_AFTER_PHY_LINKUP) &&
@@ -1005,15 +1007,15 @@ static void stmmac_mac_link_up(struct phylink_config *config,
 
 	/* Flow Control operation */
 	if (rx_pause && tx_pause)
-		priv->flow_ctrl = FLOW_AUTO;
+		flow_ctrl = FLOW_AUTO;
 	else if (rx_pause && !tx_pause)
-		priv->flow_ctrl = FLOW_RX;
+		flow_ctrl = FLOW_RX;
 	else if (!rx_pause && tx_pause)
-		priv->flow_ctrl = FLOW_TX;
+		flow_ctrl = FLOW_TX;
 	else
-		priv->flow_ctrl = FLOW_OFF;
+		flow_ctrl = FLOW_OFF;
 
-	stmmac_mac_flow_ctrl(priv, duplex);
+	stmmac_mac_flow_ctrl(priv, duplex, flow_ctrl);
 
 	if (ctrl != old_ctrl)
 		writel(ctrl, priv->ioaddr + MAC_CTRL_REG);
@@ -7600,9 +7602,6 @@ int stmmac_dvr_probe(struct device *device,
 			 "%s: warning: maxmtu having invalid value (%d)\n",
 			 __func__, priv->plat->maxmtu);
 
-	if (flow_ctrl)
-		priv->flow_ctrl = FLOW_AUTO;	/* RX/TX pause on */
-
 	ndev->priv_flags |= IFF_LIVE_ADDR_CHANGE;
 
 	/* Setup channels NAPI */