diff -puN drivers/net/forcedeth.c~forcedeth-power-down-phy-when-interface-is-down drivers/net/forcedeth.c
--- a/drivers/net/forcedeth.c~forcedeth-power-down-phy-when-interface-is-down
+++ a/drivers/net/forcedeth.c
@@ -1446,9 +1446,9 @@ static int phy_init(struct net_device *d
 	/* some phys clear out pause advertisment on reset, set it back */
 	mii_rw(dev, np->phyaddr, MII_ADVERTISE, reg);
 
-	/* restart auto negotiation */
+	/* restart auto negotiation, power down phy */
 	mii_control = mii_rw(dev, np->phyaddr, MII_BMCR, MII_READ);
-	mii_control |= (BMCR_ANRESTART | BMCR_ANENABLE);
+	mii_control |= (BMCR_ANRESTART | BMCR_ANENABLE | BMCR_PDOWN);
 	if (mii_rw(dev, np->phyaddr, MII_BMCR, mii_control)) {
 		return PHY_ERROR;
 	}
@@ -5210,6 +5210,10 @@ static int nv_open(struct net_device *de
 
 	dprintk(KERN_DEBUG "nv_open: begin\n");
 
+	/* power up phy */
+	mii_rw(dev, np->phyaddr, MII_BMCR,
+	       mii_rw(dev, np->phyaddr, MII_BMCR, MII_READ) & ~BMCR_PDOWN);
+
 	/* erase previous misconfiguration */
 	if (np->driver_data & DEV_HAS_POWER_CNTRL)
 		nv_mac_reset(dev);
@@ -5403,6 +5407,10 @@ static int nv_close(struct net_device *d
 	if (np->wolenabled) {
 		writel(NVREG_PFF_ALWAYS|NVREG_PFF_MYADDR, base + NvRegPacketFilterFlags);
 		nv_start_rx(dev);
+	} else {
+		/* power down phy */
+		mii_rw(dev, np->phyaddr, MII_BMCR,
+		       mii_rw(dev, np->phyaddr, MII_BMCR, MII_READ)|BMCR_PDOWN);
 	}
 
 	/* FIXME: power down nic */