diff --git a/drivers/of/of_mdio.c b/drivers/of/of_mdio.c
index a43b852..875b7b6 100644
--- a/drivers/of/of_mdio.c
+++ b/drivers/of/of_mdio.c
@@ -254,3 +254,23 @@
 	return IS_ERR(phy) ? NULL : phy;
 }
 EXPORT_SYMBOL(of_phy_connect_fixed_link);
+
+/**
+ * of_phy_attach - Attach to a PHY without starting the state machine
+ * @dev: pointer to net_device claiming the phy
+ * @phy_np: Node pointer for the PHY
+ * @flags: flags to pass to the PHY
+ * @iface: PHY data interface type
+ */
+struct phy_device *of_phy_attach(struct net_device *dev,
+				 struct device_node *phy_np, u32 flags,
+				 phy_interface_t iface)
+{
+	struct phy_device *phy = of_phy_find_device(phy_np);
+
+	if (!phy)
+		return NULL;
+
+	return phy_attach_direct(dev, phy, flags, iface) ? NULL : phy;
+}
+EXPORT_SYMBOL(of_phy_attach);
diff --git a/include/linux/of_mdio.h b/include/linux/of_mdio.h
index 8163107..6fe8464 100644
--- a/include/linux/of_mdio.h
+++ b/include/linux/of_mdio.h
@@ -19,6 +19,9 @@
 					 struct device_node *phy_np,
 					 void (*hndlr)(struct net_device *),
 					 u32 flags, phy_interface_t iface);
+struct phy_device *of_phy_attach(struct net_device *dev,
+				 struct device_node *phy_np, u32 flags,
+				 phy_interface_t iface);
 extern struct phy_device *of_phy_connect_fixed_link(struct net_device *dev,
 					 void (*hndlr)(struct net_device *),
 					 phy_interface_t iface);
@@ -44,6 +47,13 @@
 	return NULL;
 }
 
+static inline struct phy_device *of_phy_attach(struct net_device *dev,
+					       struct device_node *phy_np,
+					       u32 flags, phy_interface_t iface)
+{
+	return NULL;
+}
+
 static inline struct phy_device *of_phy_connect_fixed_link(struct net_device *dev,
 							   void (*hndlr)(struct net_device *),
 							   phy_interface_t iface)