diff --git a/drivers/net/tg3.c b/drivers/net/tg3.c
index 8af2cdf181dd08e22cbdf0acccff66c07b1031d2..ab3159ef4c561c0fd29d3f94f597a5112a9235d0 100644
--- a/drivers/net/tg3.c
+++ b/drivers/net/tg3.c
@@ -6348,14 +6348,14 @@ static int tg3_chip_reset(struct tg3 *tp)
 		tw32_f(MAC_MODE, 0);
 	udelay(40);
 
-	tg3_mdio_start(tp);
-
 	tg3_ape_unlock(tp, TG3_APE_LOCK_GRC);
 
 	err = tg3_poll_fw(tp);
 	if (err)
 		return err;
 
+	tg3_mdio_start(tp);
+
 	if ((tp->tg3_flags2 & TG3_FLG2_PCI_EXPRESS) &&
 	    tp->pci_chip_rev_id != CHIPREV_ID_5750_A0) {
 		val = tr32(0x7c00);