diff --git a/hw/net/cadence_gem.c b/hw/net/cadence_gem.c
index 520324adfd..44896f1801 100644
--- a/hw/net/cadence_gem.c
+++ b/hw/net/cadence_gem.c
@@ -1477,7 +1477,10 @@ static void gem_reset(DeviceState *d)
     s->regs[R_TXPARTIALSF] = 0x000003ff;
     s->regs[R_RXPARTIALSF] = 0x000003ff;
     s->regs[R_MODID] = s->revision;
-    s->regs[R_DESCONF] = 0x02D00111;
+    s->regs[R_DESCONF] = 0x02D00110;
+    if (!s->pcs_enabled) {
+        s->regs[R_DESCONF] |= 0x00000001;
+    }
     s->regs[R_DESCONF2] = 0x2ab10000 | s->jumbo_max_len;
     s->regs[R_DESCONF5] = 0x002f2045;
     s->regs[R_DESCONF6] = R_DESCONF6_DMA_ADDR_64B_MASK;
@@ -1821,6 +1824,8 @@ static const Property gem_properties[] = {
                       num_type2_screeners, 4),
     DEFINE_PROP_UINT16("jumbo-max-len", CadenceGEMState,
                        jumbo_max_len, 10240),
+    DEFINE_PROP_BOOL("pcs-enabled", CadenceGEMState,
+                       pcs_enabled, false),
     DEFINE_PROP_BOOL("phy-connected", CadenceGEMState, phy_connected, true),
     DEFINE_PROP_LINK("phy-consumer", CadenceGEMState, phy_consumer,
                      TYPE_CADENCE_GEM, CadenceGEMState *),
diff --git a/include/hw/net/cadence_gem.h b/include/hw/net/cadence_gem.h
index 21e7319f53..e63941f18f 100644
--- a/include/hw/net/cadence_gem.h
+++ b/include/hw/net/cadence_gem.h
@@ -62,6 +62,7 @@ struct CadenceGEMState {
     uint8_t num_type2_screeners;
     uint32_t revision;
     uint16_t jumbo_max_len;
+    bool pcs_enabled;
 
     /* GEM registers backing store */
     uint32_t regs[CADENCE_GEM_MAXREG];