diff --git a/hw/net/cadence_gem.c b/hw/net/cadence_gem.c
index 44446666de..520324adfd 100644
--- a/hw/net/cadence_gem.c
+++ b/hw/net/cadence_gem.c
@@ -1541,12 +1541,20 @@ static void gem_handle_phy_access(CadenceGEMState *s)
 {
     uint32_t val = s->regs[R_PHYMNTNC];
     uint32_t phy_addr, reg_num;
+    CadenceGEMState *ps = s;
+    uint32_t op;
 
     phy_addr = FIELD_EX32(val, PHYMNTNC, PHY_ADDR);
+    op = FIELD_EX32(val, PHYMNTNC, OP);
 
-    if (phy_addr != s->phy_addr) {
-        /* no phy at this address */
-        if (FIELD_EX32(val, PHYMNTNC, OP) == MDIO_OP_READ) {
+    /* Switch phy to consumer interface if there is an address match */
+    if (s->phy_consumer && phy_addr == s->phy_consumer->phy_addr) {
+        ps = s->phy_consumer;
+    }
+
+    if (!s->phy_connected || phy_addr != ps->phy_addr) {
+        /* phy not connected or no phy at this address */
+        if (op == MDIO_OP_READ) {
             s->regs[R_PHYMNTNC] = FIELD_DP32(val, PHYMNTNC, DATA, 0xffff);
         }
         return;
@@ -1554,14 +1562,14 @@ static void gem_handle_phy_access(CadenceGEMState *s)
 
     reg_num = FIELD_EX32(val, PHYMNTNC, REG_ADDR);
 
-    switch (FIELD_EX32(val, PHYMNTNC, OP)) {
+    switch (op) {
     case MDIO_OP_READ:
         s->regs[R_PHYMNTNC] = FIELD_DP32(val, PHYMNTNC, DATA,
-                                         gem_phy_read(s, reg_num));
+                                         gem_phy_read(ps, reg_num));
         break;
 
     case MDIO_OP_WRITE:
-        gem_phy_write(s, reg_num, val);
+        gem_phy_write(ps, reg_num, val);
         break;
 
     default:
@@ -1813,6 +1821,10 @@ static const Property gem_properties[] = {
                       num_type2_screeners, 4),
     DEFINE_PROP_UINT16("jumbo-max-len", CadenceGEMState,
                        jumbo_max_len, 10240),
+    DEFINE_PROP_BOOL("phy-connected", CadenceGEMState, phy_connected, true),
+    DEFINE_PROP_LINK("phy-consumer", CadenceGEMState, phy_consumer,
+                     TYPE_CADENCE_GEM, CadenceGEMState *),
+
     DEFINE_PROP_LINK("dma", CadenceGEMState, dma_mr,
                      TYPE_MEMORY_REGION, MemoryRegion *),
 };
diff --git a/include/hw/net/cadence_gem.h b/include/hw/net/cadence_gem.h
index 91ebb5c8ae..21e7319f53 100644
--- a/include/hw/net/cadence_gem.h
+++ b/include/hw/net/cadence_gem.h
@@ -81,6 +81,9 @@ struct CadenceGEMState {
 
     uint8_t phy_loop; /* Are we in phy loopback? */
 
+    bool phy_connected; /* true if connected */
+    struct CadenceGEMState *phy_consumer;
+
     /* The current DMA descriptor pointers */
     uint32_t rx_desc_addr[MAX_PRIORITY_QUEUES];
     uint32_t tx_desc_addr[MAX_PRIORITY_QUEUES];