diff --git a/drivers/net/bnx2.c b/drivers/net/bnx2.c
index 471c7f3e8a4a..2fa258050968 100644
--- a/drivers/net/bnx2.c
+++ b/drivers/net/bnx2.c
@@ -1273,14 +1273,20 @@ bnx2_set_link(struct bnx2 *bp)
 
 	if ((bp->phy_flags & BNX2_PHY_FLAG_SERDES) &&
 	    (CHIP_NUM(bp) == CHIP_NUM_5706)) {
-		u32 val;
+		u32 val, an_dbg;
 
 		if (bp->phy_flags & BNX2_PHY_FLAG_FORCED_DOWN) {
 			bnx2_5706s_force_link_dn(bp, 0);
 			bp->phy_flags &= ~BNX2_PHY_FLAG_FORCED_DOWN;
 		}
 		val = REG_RD(bp, BNX2_EMAC_STATUS);
-		if (val & BNX2_EMAC_STATUS_LINK)
+
+		bnx2_write_phy(bp, MII_BNX2_MISC_SHADOW, MISC_SHDW_AN_DBG);
+		bnx2_read_phy(bp, MII_BNX2_MISC_SHADOW, &an_dbg);
+		bnx2_read_phy(bp, MII_BNX2_MISC_SHADOW, &an_dbg);
+
+		if ((val & BNX2_EMAC_STATUS_LINK) &&
+		    !(an_dbg & MISC_SHDW_AN_DBG_NOSYNC))
 			bmsr |= BMSR_LSTATUS;
 		else
 			bmsr &= ~BMSR_LSTATUS;
@@ -5390,13 +5396,6 @@ bnx2_5706_serdes_timer(struct bnx2 *bp)
 	int check_link = 1;
 
 	spin_lock(&bp->phy_lock);
-	if (bp->phy_flags & BNX2_PHY_FLAG_FORCED_DOWN) {
-		bnx2_5706s_force_link_dn(bp, 0);
-		bp->phy_flags &= ~BNX2_PHY_FLAG_FORCED_DOWN;
-		spin_unlock(&bp->phy_lock);
-		return;
-	}
-
 	if (bp->serdes_an_pending) {
 		bp->serdes_an_pending--;
 		check_link = 0;
@@ -5420,7 +5419,6 @@ bnx2_5706_serdes_timer(struct bnx2 *bp)
 		 (bp->phy_flags & BNX2_PHY_FLAG_PARALLEL_DETECT)) {
 		u32 phy2;
 
-		check_link = 0;
 		bnx2_write_phy(bp, 0x17, 0x0f01);
 		bnx2_read_phy(bp, 0x15, &phy2);
 		if (phy2 & 0x20) {
@@ -5435,17 +5433,21 @@ bnx2_5706_serdes_timer(struct bnx2 *bp)
 	} else
 		bp->current_interval = bp->timer_interval;
 
-	if (bp->link_up && (bp->autoneg & AUTONEG_SPEED) && check_link) {
+	if (check_link) {
 		u32 val;
 
 		bnx2_write_phy(bp, MII_BNX2_MISC_SHADOW, MISC_SHDW_AN_DBG);
 		bnx2_read_phy(bp, MII_BNX2_MISC_SHADOW, &val);
 		bnx2_read_phy(bp, MII_BNX2_MISC_SHADOW, &val);
 
-		if (val & MISC_SHDW_AN_DBG_NOSYNC) {
-			bnx2_5706s_force_link_dn(bp, 1);
-			bp->phy_flags |= BNX2_PHY_FLAG_FORCED_DOWN;
-		}
+		if (bp->link_up && (val & MISC_SHDW_AN_DBG_NOSYNC)) {
+			if (!(bp->phy_flags & BNX2_PHY_FLAG_FORCED_DOWN)) {
+				bnx2_5706s_force_link_dn(bp, 1);
+				bp->phy_flags |= BNX2_PHY_FLAG_FORCED_DOWN;
+			} else
+				bnx2_set_link(bp);
+		} else if (!bp->link_up && !(val & MISC_SHDW_AN_DBG_NOSYNC))
+			bnx2_set_link(bp);
 	}
 	spin_unlock(&bp->phy_lock);
 }