diff --git a/drivers/net/ibm_newemac/zmii.c b/drivers/net/ibm_newemac/zmii.c
index 2219ec2..0f8cfbc 100644
--- a/drivers/net/ibm_newemac/zmii.c
+++ b/drivers/net/ibm_newemac/zmii.c
@@ -83,12 +83,14 @@
 
 	ZMII_DBG(dev, "init(%d, %d)" NL, input, *mode);
 
-	if (!zmii_valid_mode(*mode))
+	if (!zmii_valid_mode(*mode)) {
 		/* Probably an EMAC connected to RGMII,
 		 * but it still may need ZMII for MDIO so
 		 * we don't fail here.
 		 */
+		dev->users++;
 		return 0;
+	}
 
 	mutex_lock(&dev->lock);