diff --git a/drivers/net/ethernet/realtek/r8169_main.c b/drivers/net/ethernet/realtek/r8169_main.c
index 238c5456bc09..5ebfc3e66331 100644
--- a/drivers/net/ethernet/realtek/r8169_main.c
+++ b/drivers/net/ethernet/realtek/r8169_main.c
@@ -6903,6 +6903,13 @@ static int r8169_mdio_register(struct rtl8169_private *tp)
 	if (!tp->phydev) {
 		mdiobus_unregister(new_bus);
 		return -ENODEV;
+	} else if (!tp->phydev->drv) {
+		/* Most chip versions fail with the genphy driver.
+		 * Therefore ensure that the dedicated PHY driver is loaded.
+		 */
+		dev_err(&pdev->dev, "realtek.ko not loaded, maybe it needs to be added to initramfs?\n");
+		mdiobus_unregister(new_bus);
+		return -EUNATCH;
 	}
 
 	/* PHY will be woken up in rtl_open() */
@@ -7064,15 +7071,6 @@ static int rtl_init_one(struct pci_dev *pdev, const struct pci_device_id *ent)
 	int chipset, region;
 	int jumbo_max, rc;
 
-	/* Some tools for creating an initramfs don't consider softdeps, then
-	 * r8169.ko may be in initramfs, but realtek.ko not. Then the generic
-	 * PHY driver is used that doesn't work with most chip versions.
-	 */
-	if (!driver_find("RTL8201CP Ethernet", &mdio_bus_type)) {
-		dev_err(&pdev->dev, "realtek.ko not loaded, maybe it needs to be added to initramfs?\n");
-		return -ENOENT;
-	}
-
 	dev = devm_alloc_etherdev(&pdev->dev, sizeof (*tp));
 	if (!dev)
 		return -ENOMEM;