diff --git a/board/atmel/at91sam9x5ek/at91sam9x5ek.c b/board/atmel/at91sam9x5ek/at91sam9x5ek.c
index 3bb5cd6..0856786 100644
--- a/board/atmel/at91sam9x5ek/at91sam9x5ek.c
+++ b/board/atmel/at91sam9x5ek/at91sam9x5ek.c
@@ -20,6 +20,9 @@ DECLARE_GLOBAL_DATA_PTR;
 /*
  * Miscelaneous platform dependent initialisations
  */
+
+void at91_prepare_cpu_var(void);
+
 #ifdef CONFIG_CMD_NAND
 static void at91sam9x5ek_nand_hw_init(void)
 {
@@ -85,6 +88,7 @@ int board_late_init(void)
 #ifdef CONFIG_DM_VIDEO
 	at91_video_show_board_info();
 #endif
+	at91_prepare_cpu_var();
 	return 0;
 }
 #endif
diff --git a/board/atmel/common/board.c b/board/atmel/common/board.c
index 8f9b5e1..fc300a4 100644
--- a/board/atmel/common/board.c
+++ b/board/atmel/common/board.c
@@ -13,6 +13,8 @@
 #define AT91_PDA_EEPROM_ID_LENGTH		5
 #define AT91_PDA_EEPROM_DEFAULT_BUS		0
 
+char *get_cpu_name(void);
+
 void dummy(void)
 {
 }
@@ -66,3 +68,8 @@ void at91_pda_detect(void)
 {
 }
 #endif
+
+void at91_prepare_cpu_var(void)
+{
+	env_set("cpu", get_cpu_name());
+}