diff --git a/drivers/net/phy/phy_device.c b/drivers/net/phy/phy_device.c
index 10e39c2fbf81..e977ba931878 100644
--- a/drivers/net/phy/phy_device.c
+++ b/drivers/net/phy/phy_device.c
@@ -529,7 +529,7 @@ struct phy_device *get_phy_device(struct mii_bus *bus, int addr, bool is_c45)
 
 	/* If the phy_id is mostly Fs, there is no device there */
 	if ((phy_id & 0x1fffffff) == 0x1fffffff)
-		return NULL;
+		return ERR_PTR(-ENODEV);
 
 	return phy_device_create(bus, addr, phy_id, is_c45, &c45_ids);
 }