diff --git a/drivers/net/ethernet/freescale/gianfar.c b/drivers/net/ethernet/freescale/gianfar.c
index e2d4247..c81625a 100644
--- a/drivers/net/ethernet/freescale/gianfar.c
+++ b/drivers/net/ethernet/freescale/gianfar.c
@@ -1373,6 +1373,9 @@
 
 	gfar_hw_init(priv);
 
+	/* Carrier starts down, phylib will bring it up */
+	netif_carrier_off(dev);
+
 	err = register_netdev(dev);
 
 	if (err) {
@@ -1380,9 +1383,6 @@
 		goto register_fail;
 	}
 
-	/* Carrier starts down, phylib will bring it up */
-	netif_carrier_off(dev);
-
 	device_init_wakeup(&dev->dev,
 			   priv->device_flags &
 			   FSL_GIANFAR_DEV_HAS_MAGIC_PACKET);