diff --git a/net/dsa/dsa2.c b/net/dsa/dsa2.c
index cac48a741f27c419f68a2258c0ff0a254687db55..12479707bf96f8adb2f0f91bc727b3f75b738d8d 100644
--- a/net/dsa/dsa2.c
+++ b/net/dsa/dsa2.c
@@ -469,10 +469,16 @@ static int dsa_port_setup(struct dsa_port *dp)
 		dsa_port_disable(dp);
 		break;
 	case DSA_PORT_TYPE_CPU:
-		err = dsa_port_link_register_of(dp);
-		if (err)
-			break;
-		dsa_port_link_registered = true;
+		if (dp->dn) {
+			err = dsa_port_link_register_of(dp);
+			if (err)
+				break;
+			dsa_port_link_registered = true;
+		} else {
+			dev_warn(ds->dev,
+				 "skipping link registration for CPU port %d\n",
+				 dp->index);
+		}
 
 		err = dsa_port_enable(dp, NULL);
 		if (err)
@@ -481,10 +487,16 @@ static int dsa_port_setup(struct dsa_port *dp)
 
 		break;
 	case DSA_PORT_TYPE_DSA:
-		err = dsa_port_link_register_of(dp);
-		if (err)
-			break;
-		dsa_port_link_registered = true;
+		if (dp->dn) {
+			err = dsa_port_link_register_of(dp);
+			if (err)
+				break;
+			dsa_port_link_registered = true;
+		} else {
+			dev_warn(ds->dev,
+				 "skipping link registration for DSA port %d\n",
+				 dp->index);
+		}
 
 		err = dsa_port_enable(dp, NULL);
 		if (err)
@@ -577,11 +589,13 @@ static void dsa_port_teardown(struct dsa_port *dp)
 		break;
 	case DSA_PORT_TYPE_CPU:
 		dsa_port_disable(dp);
-		dsa_port_link_unregister_of(dp);
+		if (dp->dn)
+			dsa_port_link_unregister_of(dp);
 		break;
 	case DSA_PORT_TYPE_DSA:
 		dsa_port_disable(dp);
-		dsa_port_link_unregister_of(dp);
+		if (dp->dn)
+			dsa_port_link_unregister_of(dp);
 		break;
 	case DSA_PORT_TYPE_USER:
 		if (dp->slave) {