diff --git a/drivers/net/phy/mdio_bus.c b/drivers/net/phy/mdio_bus.c
index d0ed1ef284a8..536bda1f428b 100644
--- a/drivers/net/phy/mdio_bus.c
+++ b/drivers/net/phy/mdio_bus.c
@@ -136,7 +136,7 @@ void mdiobus_unregister(struct mii_bus *bus)
 	BUG_ON(bus->state != MDIOBUS_REGISTERED);
 	bus->state = MDIOBUS_UNREGISTERED;
 
-	device_unregister(&bus->dev);
+	device_del(&bus->dev);
 	for (i = 0; i < PHY_MAX_ADDR; i++) {
 		if (bus->phy_map[i])
 			device_unregister(&bus->phy_map[i]->dev);