diff --git a/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/igc/igc_base.c b/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/igc/igc_base.c
index 9fae8bdec2a7..1613b562d17c 100644
--- a/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/igc/igc_base.c
+++ b/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/igc/igc_base.c
@@ -68,6 +68,10 @@ static s32 igc_init_nvm_params_base(struct igc_hw *hw)
 	u32 eecd = rd32(IGC_EECD);
 	u16 size;
 
+	/* failed to read reg and got all F's */
+	if (!(~eecd))
+		return -ENXIO;
+
 	size = FIELD_GET(IGC_EECD_SIZE_EX_MASK, eecd);
 
 	/* Added to a constant, "size" becomes the left-shift value
@@ -221,6 +225,8 @@ static s32 igc_get_invariants_base(struct igc_hw *hw)
 
 	/* NVM initialization */
 	ret_val = igc_init_nvm_params_base(hw);
+	if (ret_val)
+		goto out;
 	switch (hw->mac.type) {
 	case igc_i225:
 		ret_val = igc_init_nvm_params_i225(hw);