diff --git a/drivers/net/dsa/mv88e6xxx/chip.c b/drivers/net/dsa/mv88e6xxx/chip.c
index f00cbf5753b914040be2dc3b31f2a15cb4274976..9f675464efc36e36b90fa0d6e7b443251718d791 100644
--- a/drivers/net/dsa/mv88e6xxx/chip.c
+++ b/drivers/net/dsa/mv88e6xxx/chip.c
@@ -471,6 +471,12 @@ static int mv88e6xxx_port_ppu_updates(struct mv88e6xxx_chip *chip, int port)
 	u16 reg;
 	int err;
 
+	/* The 88e6250 family does not have the PHY detect bit. Instead,
+	 * report whether the port is internal.
+	 */
+	if (chip->info->family == MV88E6XXX_FAMILY_6250)
+		return port < chip->info->num_internal_phys;
+
 	err = mv88e6xxx_port_read(chip, port, MV88E6XXX_PORT_STS, &reg);
 	if (err) {
 		dev_err(chip->dev,
@@ -752,11 +758,10 @@ static void mv88e6xxx_mac_link_down(struct dsa_switch *ds, int port,
 	ops = chip->info->ops;
 
 	mv88e6xxx_reg_lock(chip);
-	/* Internal PHYs propagate their configuration directly to the MAC.
-	 * External PHYs depend on whether the PPU is enabled for this port.
+	/* Force the link down if we know the port may not be automatically
+	 * updated by the switch or if we are using fixed-link mode.
 	 */
-	if (((!mv88e6xxx_phy_is_internal(ds, port) &&
-	      !mv88e6xxx_port_ppu_updates(chip, port)) ||
+	if ((!mv88e6xxx_port_ppu_updates(chip, port) ||
 	     mode == MLO_AN_FIXED) && ops->port_sync_link)
 		err = ops->port_sync_link(chip, port, mode, false);
 	mv88e6xxx_reg_unlock(chip);
@@ -779,11 +784,11 @@ static void mv88e6xxx_mac_link_up(struct dsa_switch *ds, int port,
 	ops = chip->info->ops;
 
 	mv88e6xxx_reg_lock(chip);
-	/* Internal PHYs propagate their configuration directly to the MAC.
-	 * External PHYs depend on whether the PPU is enabled for this port.
+	/* Configure and force the link up if we know that the port may not
+	 * automatically updated by the switch or if we are using fixed-link
+	 * mode.
 	 */
-	if ((!mv88e6xxx_phy_is_internal(ds, port) &&
-	     !mv88e6xxx_port_ppu_updates(chip, port)) ||
+	if (!mv88e6xxx_port_ppu_updates(chip, port) ||
 	    mode == MLO_AN_FIXED) {
 		/* FIXME: for an automedia port, should we force the link
 		 * down here - what if the link comes up due to "other" media