diff --git a/drivers/net/sfc/mdio_10g.c b/drivers/net/sfc/mdio_10g.c
index 56b0266..6e82e5b 100644
--- a/drivers/net/sfc/mdio_10g.c
+++ b/drivers/net/sfc/mdio_10g.c
@@ -51,13 +51,10 @@
 	return spins ? spins : -ETIMEDOUT;
 }
 
-static int efx_mdio_check_mmd(struct efx_nic *efx, int mmd, int fault_fatal)
+static int efx_mdio_check_mmd(struct efx_nic *efx, int mmd)
 {
 	int status;
 
-	if (LOOPBACK_INTERNAL(efx))
-		return 0;
-
 	if (mmd != MDIO_MMD_AN) {
 		/* Read MMD STATUS2 to check it is responding. */
 		status = efx_mdio_read(efx, mmd, MDIO_STAT2);
@@ -68,20 +65,6 @@
 		}
 	}
 
-	/* Read MMD STATUS 1 to check for fault. */
-	status = efx_mdio_read(efx, mmd, MDIO_STAT1);
-	if (status & MDIO_STAT1_FAULT) {
-		if (fault_fatal) {
-			netif_err(efx, hw, efx->net_dev,
-				  "PHY MMD %d reporting fatal"
-				  " fault: status %x\n", mmd, status);
-			return -EIO;
-		} else {
-			netif_dbg(efx, hw, efx->net_dev,
-				  "PHY MMD %d reporting status"
-				  " %x (expected)\n", mmd, status);
-		}
-	}
 	return 0;
 }
 
@@ -130,8 +113,7 @@
 	return rc;
 }
 
-int efx_mdio_check_mmds(struct efx_nic *efx,
-			unsigned int mmd_mask, unsigned int fatal_mask)
+int efx_mdio_check_mmds(struct efx_nic *efx, unsigned int mmd_mask)
 {
 	int mmd = 0, probe_mmd, devs1, devs2;
 	u32 devices;
@@ -161,13 +143,9 @@
 
 	/* Check all required MMDs are responding and happy. */
 	while (mmd_mask) {
-		if (mmd_mask & 1) {
-			int fault_fatal = fatal_mask & 1;
-			if (efx_mdio_check_mmd(efx, mmd, fault_fatal))
-				return -EIO;
-		}
+		if ((mmd_mask & 1) && efx_mdio_check_mmd(efx, mmd))
+			return -EIO;
 		mmd_mask = mmd_mask >> 1;
-		fatal_mask = fatal_mask >> 1;
 		mmd++;
 	}
 
@@ -337,7 +315,7 @@
 			  "no MDIO PHY present with ID %d\n", efx->mdio.prtad);
 		rc = -EINVAL;
 	} else {
-		rc = efx_mdio_check_mmds(efx, efx->mdio.mmds, 0);
+		rc = efx_mdio_check_mmds(efx, efx->mdio.mmds);
 	}
 
 	mutex_unlock(&efx->mac_lock);
diff --git a/drivers/net/sfc/mdio_10g.h b/drivers/net/sfc/mdio_10g.h
index 75791d3..44c5dee 100644
--- a/drivers/net/sfc/mdio_10g.h
+++ b/drivers/net/sfc/mdio_10g.h
@@ -68,8 +68,7 @@
 			      int spins, int spintime);
 
 /* As efx_mdio_check_mmd but for multiple MMDs */
-int efx_mdio_check_mmds(struct efx_nic *efx,
-			unsigned int mmd_mask, unsigned int fatal_mask);
+int efx_mdio_check_mmds(struct efx_nic *efx, unsigned int mmd_mask);
 
 /* Check the link status of specified mmds in bit mask */
 extern bool efx_mdio_links_ok(struct efx_nic *efx, unsigned int mmd_mask);
diff --git a/drivers/net/sfc/tenxpress.c b/drivers/net/sfc/tenxpress.c
index f102912..581911f 100644
--- a/drivers/net/sfc/tenxpress.c
+++ b/drivers/net/sfc/tenxpress.c
@@ -196,7 +196,7 @@
 		if (rc < 0)
 			return rc;
 
-		rc = efx_mdio_check_mmds(efx, TENXPRESS_REQUIRED_DEVS, 0);
+		rc = efx_mdio_check_mmds(efx, TENXPRESS_REQUIRED_DEVS);
 		if (rc < 0)
 			return rc;
 	}
diff --git a/drivers/net/sfc/txc43128_phy.c b/drivers/net/sfc/txc43128_phy.c
index 351794a..4e2b48a 100644
--- a/drivers/net/sfc/txc43128_phy.c
+++ b/drivers/net/sfc/txc43128_phy.c
@@ -193,7 +193,7 @@
 		goto fail;
 
 	/* Check that all the MMDs we expect are present and responding. */
-	rc = efx_mdio_check_mmds(efx, TXC_REQUIRED_DEVS, 0);
+	rc = efx_mdio_check_mmds(efx, TXC_REQUIRED_DEVS);
 	if (rc < 0)
 		goto fail;