diff --git a/drivers/net/ethernet/freescale/fec_main.c b/drivers/net/ethernet/freescale/fec_main.c
index 1cd71a8d99967be9d20fe5f535959e46c6d3b620..03785cd14b7cfc6b3e143cadacf0516f4087ad64 100644
--- a/drivers/net/ethernet/freescale/fec_main.c
+++ b/drivers/net/ethernet/freescale/fec_main.c
@@ -2197,10 +2197,10 @@ fec_enet_close(struct net_device *ndev)
 
 	phy_stop(fep->phy_dev);
 
-	/* Don't know what to do yet. */
 	napi_disable(&fep->napi);
 	netif_tx_disable(ndev);
-	fec_stop(ndev);
+	if (netif_device_present(ndev))
+		fec_stop(ndev);
 
 	phy_disconnect(fep->phy_dev);
 	fep->phy_dev = NULL;