diff --git a/drivers/net/ethernet/pensando/ionic/ionic_ethtool.c b/drivers/net/ethernet/pensando/ionic/ionic_ethtool.c
index 5aacc00962df..b8de3784d976 100644
--- a/drivers/net/ethernet/pensando/ionic/ionic_ethtool.c
+++ b/drivers/net/ethernet/pensando/ionic/ionic_ethtool.c
@@ -125,6 +125,11 @@ static int ionic_get_link_ksettings(struct net_device *netdev,
 
 	ethtool_link_ksettings_zero_link_mode(ks, supported);
 
+	if (!idev->port_info) {
+		netdev_err(netdev, "port_info not initialized\n");
+		return -EOPNOTSUPP;
+	}
+
 	/* The port_info data is found in a DMA space that the NIC keeps
 	 * up-to-date, so there's no need to request the data from the
 	 * NIC, we already have it in our memory space.