diff --git a/net/ethtool/pse-pd.c b/net/ethtool/pse-pd.c
index 507cb21d6bf0..290edbfd47d2 100644
--- a/net/ethtool/pse-pd.c
+++ b/net/ethtool/pse-pd.c
@@ -226,17 +226,21 @@ ethnl_set_pse_validate(struct ethnl_req_info *req_info, struct genl_info *info)
 {
 	struct nlattr **tb = info->attrs;
 	struct phy_device *phydev;
+	int ret = 1;
 
+	rtnl_lock();
 	phydev = ethnl_req_get_phydev(req_info, tb[ETHTOOL_A_PSE_HEADER],
 				      info->extack);
 	if (IS_ERR_OR_NULL(phydev)) {
 		NL_SET_ERR_MSG(info->extack, "No PHY is attached");
-		return -EOPNOTSUPP;
+		ret = -EOPNOTSUPP;
+		goto out;
 	}
 
 	if (!phydev->psec) {
 		NL_SET_ERR_MSG(info->extack, "No PSE is attached");
-		return -EOPNOTSUPP;
+		ret = -EOPNOTSUPP;
+		goto out;
 	}
 
 	if (tb[ETHTOOL_A_PODL_PSE_ADMIN_CONTROL] &&
@@ -244,17 +248,21 @@ ethnl_set_pse_validate(struct ethnl_req_info *req_info, struct genl_info *info)
 		NL_SET_ERR_MSG_ATTR(info->extack,
 				    tb[ETHTOOL_A_PODL_PSE_ADMIN_CONTROL],
 				    "setting PoDL PSE admin control not supported");
-		return -EOPNOTSUPP;
+		ret = -EOPNOTSUPP;
+		goto out;
 	}
 	if (tb[ETHTOOL_A_C33_PSE_ADMIN_CONTROL] &&
 	    !pse_has_c33(phydev->psec)) {
 		NL_SET_ERR_MSG_ATTR(info->extack,
 				    tb[ETHTOOL_A_C33_PSE_ADMIN_CONTROL],
 				    "setting C33 PSE admin control not supported");
-		return -EOPNOTSUPP;
+		ret = -EOPNOTSUPP;
+		goto out;
 	}
 
-	return 1;
+out:
+	rtnl_unlock();
+	return ret;
 }
 
 static int