diff --git a/drivers/net/cpmac.c b/drivers/net/cpmac.c
index 55ee055d3321684ab9a01c1d34ea6431ef568cdf..baeb5bab05b5c135dab5dc63b0dc216494a98f15 100644
--- a/drivers/net/cpmac.c
+++ b/drivers/net/cpmac.c
@@ -1137,8 +1137,9 @@ static int __devinit cpmac_probe(struct platform_device *pdev)
 	}
 
 	if (phy_id == PHY_MAX_ADDR) {
-		dev_err(&pdev->dev, "no PHY present\n");
-		return -ENODEV;
+		dev_err(&pdev->dev, "no PHY present, falling back to switch on MDIO bus 0\n");
+		strncpy(mdio_bus_id, "0", MII_BUS_ID_SIZE); /* fixed phys bus */
+		phy_id = pdev->id;
 	}
 
 	dev = alloc_etherdev_mq(sizeof(*priv), CPMAC_QUEUES);