diff --git a/arch/arm/src/sam34/sam_emac.c b/arch/arm/src/sam34/sam_emac.c
index cbca247c60d..747fd08d33b 100644
--- a/arch/arm/src/sam34/sam_emac.c
+++ b/arch/arm/src/sam34/sam_emac.c
@@ -1937,7 +1937,12 @@ static void sam_phydump(struct sam_emac_s *priv)
  * Function: sam_phyintenable
  *
  * Description:
- *  Enable link up/down PHY interrupts
+ *  Enable link up/down PHY interrupts.  The interrupt protocol is like this:
+ *
+ *  - Interrupt status is cleared when the interrupt is enabled.
+ *  - Interrupt occurs.  Interrupt is disabled (at the processor level) when
+ *    is received.
+ *  - Interrupt status is cleared when the interrupt is re-enabled.
  *
  * Parameters:
  *   priv - A reference to the private driver state structure
@@ -1952,6 +1957,7 @@ static int sam_phyintenable(struct sam_emac_s *priv)
 {
 #if defined(CONFIG_ETH0_PHY_KSZ8051) ||  defined(CONFIG_ETH0_PHY_KSZ8081)
   uint32_t regval;
+  uint16_t phyval;
   int ret;
 
   /* Enable management port */
@@ -1959,10 +1965,18 @@ static int sam_phyintenable(struct sam_emac_s *priv)
   regval = sam_getreg(priv, SAM_EMAC_NCR);
   sam_putreg(priv, SAM_EMAC_NCR, regval | EMAC_NCR_MPE);
 
-  /* Enable link up/down interrupts */
+  /* Read the interrupt status register in order to clear any pending
+   * interrupts
+   */
 
-  ret = sam_phywrite(priv, priv->phyaddr, MII_KSZ8081_INT,
-                    (MII_KSZ80x1_INT_LDEN | MII_KSZ80x1_INT_LUEN));
+  ret = sam_phyread(priv, priv->phyaddr, MII_KSZ8081_INT, &phyval);
+  if (ret == OK)
+    {
+      /* Enable link up/down interrupts */
+
+      ret = sam_phywrite(priv, priv->phyaddr, MII_KSZ8081_INT,
+                        (MII_KSZ80x1_INT_LDEN | MII_KSZ80x1_INT_LUEN));
+    }
 
   /* Disable management port (probably) */
 
diff --git a/arch/arm/src/sama5/sam_emaca.c b/arch/arm/src/sama5/sam_emaca.c
index 2cb0400ba5e..701b3464e7b 100644
--- a/arch/arm/src/sama5/sam_emaca.c
+++ b/arch/arm/src/sama5/sam_emaca.c
@@ -1978,7 +1978,12 @@ static void sam_phydump(struct sam_emac_s *priv)
  * Function: sam_phyintenable
  *
  * Description:
- *  Enable link up/down PHY interrupts
+ *  Enable link up/down PHY interrupts.  The interrupt protocol is like this:
+ *
+ *  - Interrupt status is cleared when the interrupt is enabled.
+ *  - Interrupt occurs.  Interrupt is disabled (at the processor level) when
+ *    is received.
+ *  - Interrupt status is cleared when the interrupt is re-enabled.
  *
  * Parameters:
  *   priv - A reference to the private driver state structure
@@ -1993,6 +1998,7 @@ static int sam_phyintenable(struct sam_emac_s *priv)
 {
 #if defined(SAMA5_EMAC_PHY_KSZ8051) ||  defined(SAMA5_EMAC_PHY_KSZ8081)
   uint32_t regval;
+  uint16_t phyval;
   int ret;
 
   /* Enable management port */
@@ -2000,10 +2006,18 @@ static int sam_phyintenable(struct sam_emac_s *priv)
   regval = sam_getreg(priv, SAM_EMAC_NCR);
   sam_putreg(priv, SAM_EMAC_NCR, regval | EMAC_NCR_MPE);
 
-  /* Enable link up/down interrupts */
+  /* Read the interrupt status register in order to clear any pending
+   * interrupts
+   */
 
-  ret = sam_phywrite(priv, priv->phyaddr, MII_KSZ8081_INT,
-                    (MII_KSZ80x1_INT_LDEN | MII_KSZ80x1_INT_LUEN));
+  ret = sam_phyread(priv, priv->phyaddr, MII_KSZ8081_INT, &phyval);
+  if (ret == OK)
+    {
+      /* Enable link up/down interrupts */
+
+      ret = sam_phywrite(priv, priv->phyaddr, MII_KSZ8081_INT,
+                        (MII_KSZ80x1_INT_LDEN | MII_KSZ80x1_INT_LUEN));
+    }
 
   /* Disable management port (probably) */
 
diff --git a/arch/arm/src/sama5/sam_emacb.c b/arch/arm/src/sama5/sam_emacb.c
index 0161ccd6fad..a149ccba0f0 100644
--- a/arch/arm/src/sama5/sam_emacb.c
+++ b/arch/arm/src/sama5/sam_emacb.c
@@ -2446,7 +2446,12 @@ static bool sam_is100fdx(struct sam_emac_s *priv, uint16_t physr)
  * Function: sam_phyintenable
  *
  * Description:
- *  Enable link up/down PHY interrupts
+ *  Enable link up/down PHY interrupts.  The interrupt protocol is like this:
+ *
+ *  - Interrupt status is cleared when the interrupt is enabled.
+ *  - Interrupt occurs.  Interrupt is disabled (at the processor level) when
+ *    is received.
+ *  - Interrupt status is cleared when the interrupt is re-enabled.
  *
  * Parameters:
  *   priv - A reference to the private driver state structure
@@ -2462,6 +2467,7 @@ static int sam_phyintenable(struct sam_emac_s *priv)
 #if defined(SAMA5_EMAC0_PHY_KSZ8051) ||  defined(SAMA5_EMAC0_PHY_KSZ8081) || \
     defined(SAMA5_EMAC1_PHY_KSZ8051) ||  defined(SAMA5_EMAC1_PHY_KSZ8081)
   uint32_t regval;
+  uint16_t phyval;
   int ret;
 
   /* Does this MAC support a KSZ80x1 PHY? */
@@ -2473,10 +2479,18 @@ static int sam_phyintenable(struct sam_emac_s *priv)
       regval = sam_getreg(priv, SAM_EMAC_NCR_OFFSET);
       sam_putreg(priv, SAM_EMAC_NCR_OFFSET, regval | EMAC_NCR_MPE);
 
-      /* Enable link up/down interrupts */
+      /* Read the interrupt status register in order to clear any pending
+       * interrupts
+       */
 
-      ret = sam_phywrite(priv, priv->phyaddr, MII_KSZ8081_INT,
-                        (MII_KSZ80x1_INT_LDEN | MII_KSZ80x1_INT_LUEN));
+      ret = sam_phyread(priv, priv->phyaddr, MII_KSZ8081_INT, &phyval);
+      if (ret == OK)
+        {
+          /* Enable link up/down interrupts */
+
+          ret = sam_phywrite(priv, priv->phyaddr, MII_KSZ8081_INT,
+                            (MII_KSZ80x1_INT_LDEN | MII_KSZ80x1_INT_LUEN));
+        }
 
       /* Disable management port (probably) */
 
diff --git a/arch/arm/src/sama5/sam_gmac.c b/arch/arm/src/sama5/sam_gmac.c
index 251e7e8e9eb..dc78bb7c26b 100644
--- a/arch/arm/src/sama5/sam_gmac.c
+++ b/arch/arm/src/sama5/sam_gmac.c
@@ -1923,7 +1923,12 @@ static void sam_phydump(struct sam_gmac_s *priv)
  * Function: sam_phyintenable
  *
  * Description:
- *  Enable link up/down PHY interrupts
+ *  Enable link up/down PHY interrupts.  The interrupt protocol is like this:
+ *
+ *  - Interrupt status is cleared when the interrupt is enabled.
+ *  - Interrupt occurs.  Interrupt is disabled (at the processor level) when
+ *    is received.
+ *  - Interrupt status is cleared when the interrupt is re-enabled.
  *
  * Parameters:
  *   priv - A reference to the private driver state structure
@@ -1937,18 +1942,25 @@ static void sam_phydump(struct sam_gmac_s *priv)
 static int sam_phyintenable(struct sam_emac_s *priv)
 {
 #if defined(SAMA5_GMAC_PHY_KSZ90x1)
+  uint16_t phyval;
   int ret;
 
   /* Enable the management port */
 
   sam_enablemdio(priv);
 
-  /* Write to the requested register */
+  /* Read the interrupt status register in order to clear any pending
+   * interrupts
+   */
 
-  /* Enable link up/down interrupts */
+  ret = sam_phyread(priv, priv->phyaddr, GMII_KSZ90x1_ICS, &phyval);
+  if (ret == OK)
+    {
+      /* Enable link up/down interrupts */
 
-  ret = sam_phywrite(priv, priv->phyaddr, GMII_KSZ90x1_ICS,
-                    (GMII_KSZ90x1_INT_LDEN | GMII_KSZ90x1_INT_LUEN));
+      ret = sam_phywrite(priv, priv->phyaddr, GMII_KSZ90x1_ICS,
+                        (GMII_KSZ90x1_INT_LDEN | GMII_KSZ90x1_INT_LUEN));
+    }
 
   /* Disable the management port */
 
diff --git a/arch/arm/src/stm32/stm32_eth.c b/arch/arm/src/stm32/stm32_eth.c
index 8b944db77f5..a4d894fc8fb 100644
--- a/arch/arm/src/stm32/stm32_eth.c
+++ b/arch/arm/src/stm32/stm32_eth.c
@@ -2572,7 +2572,12 @@ static int stm32_ioctl(struct net_driver_s *dev, int cmd, long arg)
  * Function: stm32_phyintenable
  *
  * Description:
- *  Enable link up/down PHY interrupts
+ *  Enable link up/down PHY interrupts.  The interrupt protocol is like this:
+ *
+ *  - Interrupt status is cleared when the interrupt is enabled.
+ *  - Interrupt occurs.  Interrupt is disabled (at the processor level) when
+ *    is received.
+ *  - Interrupt status is cleared when the interrupt is re-enabled.
  *
  * Parameters:
  *   priv - A reference to the private driver state structure