diff --git a/sys/dev/cxgb/common/cxgb_ael1002.c b/sys/dev/cxgb/common/cxgb_ael1002.c
index d7bb3869831..ec5ffe7aedb 100644
--- a/sys/dev/cxgb/common/cxgb_ael1002.c
+++ b/sys/dev/cxgb/common/cxgb_ael1002.c
@@ -1270,7 +1270,7 @@ static int ael2005_reset(struct cphy *phy, int wait)
 		return err;
 	phy->modtype = (u8)err;
 
-	if (err == phy_modtype_none || err == phy_modtype_unknown)
+	if (err == phy_modtype_none)
 		err = 0;
 	else if (err == phy_modtype_twinax || err == phy_modtype_twinax_long)
 		err = ael2005_setup_twinax_edc(phy, err);
@@ -1981,7 +1981,7 @@ static int ael2020_reset(struct cphy *phy, int wait)
 	if (err < 0)
 		return err;
 	phy->modtype = (u8)err;
-	if (err == phy_modtype_none || err == phy_modtype_unknown)
+	if (err == phy_modtype_none)
 		err = 0;
 	else if (err == phy_modtype_twinax || err == phy_modtype_twinax_long)
 		err = ael2020_setup_twinax_edc(phy, err);