diff --git a/drivers/ata/libahci_platform.c b/drivers/ata/libahci_platform.c
index 3a5b4ed25a4f..b0077589f065 100644
--- a/drivers/ata/libahci_platform.c
+++ b/drivers/ata/libahci_platform.c
@@ -250,8 +250,13 @@ struct ahci_host_priv *ahci_platform_get_resources(struct platform_device *pdev)
 	if (IS_ERR(hpriv->phy)) {
 		rc = PTR_ERR(hpriv->phy);
 		switch (rc) {
-		case -ENODEV:
 		case -ENOSYS:
+			/* No PHY support. Check if PHY is required. */
+			if (of_find_property(dev->of_node, "phys", NULL)) {
+				dev_err(dev, "couldn't get sata-phy: ENOSYS\n");
+				goto err_out;
+			}
+		case -ENODEV:
 			/* continue normally */
 			hpriv->phy = NULL;
 			break;