diff --git a/board/freescale/mx35pdk/mx35pdk.c b/board/freescale/mx35pdk/mx35pdk.c
index 427c83a..9fabef5 100644
--- a/board/freescale/mx35pdk/mx35pdk.c
+++ b/board/freescale/mx35pdk/mx35pdk.c
@@ -251,14 +251,12 @@ int board_late_init(void)
 
 int board_eth_init(bd_t *bis)
 {
-	int rc = -ENODEV;
 #if defined(CONFIG_SMC911X)
-	rc = smc911x_initialize(0, CONFIG_SMC911X_BASE);
+	int rc = smc911x_initialize(0, CONFIG_SMC911X_BASE);
+	if (rc)
+		return rc;
 #endif
-
-	cpu_eth_init(bis);
-
-	return rc;
+	return cpu_eth_init(bis);
 }
 
 #if defined(CONFIG_FSL_ESDHC)