diff --git a/drivers/net/ethernet/cadence/macb.h b/drivers/net/ethernet/cadence/macb.h
index 35b7129d7c1e..1bdbe66b0559 100644
--- a/drivers/net/ethernet/cadence/macb.h
+++ b/drivers/net/ethernet/cadence/macb.h
@@ -1229,6 +1229,7 @@ struct macb_usrio_config {
 	u32 refclk;
 	u32 clken;
 	u32 hdfctlen;
+	bool refclk_default_external;
 };
 
 struct macb_config {
diff --git a/drivers/net/ethernet/cadence/macb_main.c b/drivers/net/ethernet/cadence/macb_main.c
index 545d9222ea1f..ab584a173202 100644
--- a/drivers/net/ethernet/cadence/macb_main.c
+++ b/drivers/net/ethernet/cadence/macb_main.c
@@ -4576,12 +4576,8 @@ static const struct net_device_ops macb_netdev_ops = {
 static void macb_configure_caps(struct macb *bp,
 				const struct macb_config *dt_conf)
 {
-	struct device_node *np = bp->pdev->dev.of_node;
-	bool refclk_ext;
 	u32 dcfg;
 
-	refclk_ext = of_property_read_bool(np, "cdns,refclk-ext");
-
 	if (dt_conf)
 		bp->caps = dt_conf->caps;
 
@@ -4614,9 +4610,6 @@ static void macb_configure_caps(struct macb *bp,
 		}
 	}
 
-	if (refclk_ext)
-		bp->caps |= MACB_CAPS_USRIO_HAS_REFCLK_SOURCE;
-
 	dev_dbg(&bp->pdev->dev, "Cadence caps 0x%08x\n", bp->caps);
 }
 
@@ -4897,8 +4890,36 @@ static int macb_init_dflt(struct platform_device *pdev)
 		if (bp->caps & MACB_CAPS_USRIO_HAS_CLKEN)
 			val |= bp->usrio->clken;
 
-		if (bp->caps & MACB_CAPS_USRIO_HAS_REFCLK_SOURCE)
-			val |= bp->usrio->refclk;
+		if (bp->caps & MACB_CAPS_USRIO_HAS_REFCLK_SOURCE) {
+			const char *prop;
+			bool refclk_ext;
+			int ret;
+
+			/* Default to whatever was set in the match data for
+			 * this device. There's two properties for refclk
+			 * control, but the boolean one is deprecated so is
+			 * a lower priority to check, no device should have
+			 * both.
+			 */
+			refclk_ext = bp->usrio->refclk_default_external;
+
+			ret = of_property_read_string(pdev->dev.of_node,
+						      "cdns,refclk-source", &prop);
+			if (!ret) {
+				if (!strcmp(prop, "external"))
+					refclk_ext = true;
+				else
+					refclk_ext = false;
+			} else {
+				ret = of_property_read_bool(pdev->dev.of_node,
+							    "cdns,refclk-ext");
+				if (ret)
+					refclk_ext = true;
+			}
+
+			if (refclk_ext)
+				val |= bp->usrio->refclk;
+		}
 
 		macb_or_gem_writel(bp, USRIO, val);
 	}
@@ -5503,11 +5524,21 @@ static const struct macb_usrio_config at91_default_usrio = {
 	.clken = MACB_BIT(CLKEN),
 };
 
-static const struct macb_usrio_config sama7g5_usrio = {
+static const struct macb_usrio_config sama7g5_gem_usrio = {
 	.mii = 0,
 	.rmii = 1,
 	.rgmii = 2,
 	.refclk = BIT(2),
+	.refclk_default_external = false,
+	.hdfctlen = BIT(6),
+};
+
+static const struct macb_usrio_config sama7g5_emac_usrio = {
+	.mii = 0,
+	.rmii = 1,
+	.rgmii = 2,
+	.refclk = BIT(2),
+	.refclk_default_external = true,
 	.hdfctlen = BIT(6),
 };
 
@@ -5622,7 +5653,7 @@ static const struct macb_config sama7g5_gem_config = {
 		MACB_CAPS_MIIONRGMII | MACB_CAPS_GEM_HAS_PTP |
 		MACB_CAPS_USRIO_HAS_MII,
 	.dma_burst_length = 16,
-	.usrio = &sama7g5_usrio,
+	.usrio = &sama7g5_gem_usrio,
 };
 
 static const struct macb_config sama7g5_emac_config = {
@@ -5632,7 +5663,7 @@ static const struct macb_config sama7g5_emac_config = {
 		MACB_CAPS_GEM_HAS_PTP |
 		MACB_CAPS_USRIO_HAS_MII,
 	.dma_burst_length = 16,
-	.usrio = &sama7g5_usrio,
+	.usrio = &sama7g5_emac_usrio,
 };
 
 static const struct macb_config versal_config = {