diff --git a/drivers/net/ethernet/realtek/r8169.c b/drivers/net/ethernet/realtek/r8169.c
index 4ab87fe84542..6ea43e48d5f9 100644
--- a/drivers/net/ethernet/realtek/r8169.c
+++ b/drivers/net/ethernet/realtek/r8169.c
@@ -7433,6 +7433,15 @@ static int rtl_init_one(struct pci_dev *pdev, const struct pci_device_id *ent)
 	int chipset, region, i;
 	int jumbo_max, rc;
 
+	/* Some tools for creating an initramfs don't consider softdeps, then
+	 * r8169.ko may be in initramfs, but realtek.ko not. Then the generic
+	 * PHY driver is used that doesn't work with most chip versions.
+	 */
+	if (!driver_find("RTL8201CP Ethernet", &mdio_bus_type)) {
+		dev_err(&pdev->dev, "realtek.ko not loaded, maybe it needs to be added to initramfs?\n");
+		return -ENOENT;
+	}
+
 	dev = devm_alloc_etherdev(&pdev->dev, sizeof (*tp));
 	if (!dev)
 		return -ENOMEM;