diff --git a/drivers/net/phy/phy_device.c b/drivers/net/phy/phy_device.c
index 6bd11a070ec81..b13eed21c87da 100644
--- a/drivers/net/phy/phy_device.c
+++ b/drivers/net/phy/phy_device.c
@@ -1660,13 +1660,13 @@ EXPORT_SYMBOL(genphy_config_init);
 
 int genphy_suspend(struct phy_device *phydev)
 {
-	return phy_modify(phydev, MII_BMCR, 0, BMCR_PDOWN);
+	return phy_set_bits(phydev, MII_BMCR, BMCR_PDOWN);
 }
 EXPORT_SYMBOL(genphy_suspend);
 
 int genphy_resume(struct phy_device *phydev)
 {
-	return phy_modify(phydev, MII_BMCR, BMCR_PDOWN, 0);
+	return phy_clear_bits(phydev, MII_BMCR, BMCR_PDOWN);
 }
 EXPORT_SYMBOL(genphy_resume);
 
diff --git a/include/linux/phy.h b/include/linux/phy.h
index 47715a3115b0f..5a0c3e53e7c20 100644
--- a/include/linux/phy.h
+++ b/include/linux/phy.h
@@ -764,6 +764,55 @@ static inline int __phy_write(struct phy_device *phydev, u32 regnum, u16 val)
 int __phy_modify(struct phy_device *phydev, u32 regnum, u16 mask, u16 set);
 int phy_modify(struct phy_device *phydev, u32 regnum, u16 mask, u16 set);
 
+/**
+ * __phy_set_bits - Convenience function for setting bits in a PHY register
+ * @phydev: the phy_device struct
+ * @regnum: register number to write
+ * @val: bits to set
+ *
+ * The caller must have taken the MDIO bus lock.
+ */
+static inline int __phy_set_bits(struct phy_device *phydev, u32 regnum, u16 val)
+{
+	return __phy_modify(phydev, regnum, 0, val);
+}
+
+/**
+ * __phy_clear_bits - Convenience function for clearing bits in a PHY register
+ * @phydev: the phy_device struct
+ * @regnum: register number to write
+ * @val: bits to clear
+ *
+ * The caller must have taken the MDIO bus lock.
+ */
+static inline int __phy_clear_bits(struct phy_device *phydev, u32 regnum,
+				   u16 val)
+{
+	return __phy_modify(phydev, regnum, val, 0);
+}
+
+/**
+ * phy_set_bits - Convenience function for setting bits in a PHY register
+ * @phydev: the phy_device struct
+ * @regnum: register number to write
+ * @val: bits to set
+ */
+static inline int phy_set_bits(struct phy_device *phydev, u32 regnum, u16 val)
+{
+	return phy_modify(phydev, regnum, 0, val);
+}
+
+/**
+ * phy_clear_bits - Convenience function for clearing bits in a PHY register
+ * @phydev: the phy_device struct
+ * @regnum: register number to write
+ * @val: bits to clear
+ */
+static inline int phy_clear_bits(struct phy_device *phydev, u32 regnum, u16 val)
+{
+	return phy_modify(phydev, regnum, val, 0);
+}
+
 /**
  * phy_interrupt_is_valid - Convenience function for testing a given PHY irq
  * @phydev: the phy_device struct