diff --git a/drivers/net/bcm-sf2-eth.c b/drivers/net/bcm-sf2-eth.c
index 51d5146..eab4c1f 100644
--- a/drivers/net/bcm-sf2-eth.c
+++ b/drivers/net/bcm-sf2-eth.c
@@ -154,12 +154,6 @@ static int bcm_sf2_eth_open(struct eth_device *dev, bd_t *bt)
 
 	debug("Enabling BCM SF2 Ethernet.\n");
 
-	/* Set MAC address from env */
-	if (bcm_sf2_eth_write_hwaddr(dev) != 0) {
-		error("%s: MAC set error when opening !\n", __func__);
-		return -1;
-	}
-
 	eth->enable_mac();
 
 	/* enable tx and rx DMA */
diff --git a/drivers/net/designware.c b/drivers/net/designware.c
index 07281a6..ae51cf3 100644
--- a/drivers/net/designware.c
+++ b/drivers/net/designware.c
@@ -243,10 +243,6 @@ static int _dw_eth_init(struct dw_eth_dev *priv, u8 *enetaddr)
 		mdelay(100);
 	};
 
-	/* Soft reset above clears HW address registers.
-	 * So we have to set it here once again */
-	_dw_write_hwaddr(priv, enetaddr);
-
 	rx_descs_init(priv);
 	tx_descs_init(priv);
 
diff --git a/drivers/net/macb.c b/drivers/net/macb.c
index 4e1a7fe..f949161 100644
--- a/drivers/net/macb.c
+++ b/drivers/net/macb.c
@@ -525,7 +525,6 @@ static int macb_phy_init(struct macb_device *macb)
 	return 1;
 }
 
-static int macb_write_hwaddr(struct eth_device *dev);
 static int macb_init(struct eth_device *netdev, bd_t *bd)
 {
 	struct macb_device *macb = to_macb(netdev);
@@ -594,14 +593,6 @@ static int macb_init(struct eth_device *netdev, bd_t *bd)
 #endif /* CONFIG_RMII */
 	}
 
-	/* update the ethaddr */
-	if (is_valid_ethaddr(netdev->enetaddr)) {
-		macb_write_hwaddr(netdev);
-	} else {
-		printf("%s: mac address is not valid\n", netdev->name);
-		return -1;
-	}
-
 	if (!macb_phy_init(macb))
 		return -1;
 
diff --git a/net/eth.c b/net/eth.c
index 8e6acfe..04a544c 100644
--- a/net/eth.c
+++ b/net/eth.c
@@ -281,6 +281,31 @@ int eth_get_dev_index(void)
 	return -1;
 }
 
+static int eth_write_hwaddr(struct udevice *dev)
+{
+	struct eth_pdata *pdata = dev->platdata;
+	int ret = 0;
+
+	if (!dev || !device_active(dev))
+		return -EINVAL;
+
+	/* seq is valid since the device is active */
+	if (eth_get_ops(dev)->write_hwaddr && !eth_mac_skip(dev->seq)) {
+		if (!is_valid_ethaddr(pdata->enetaddr)) {
+			printf("\nError: %s address %pM illegal value\n",
+			       dev->name, pdata->enetaddr);
+			return -EINVAL;
+		}
+
+		ret = eth_get_ops(dev)->write_hwaddr(dev);
+		if (ret)
+			printf("\nWarning: %s failed to set MAC address\n",
+			       dev->name);
+	}
+
+	return ret;
+}
+
 int eth_init(void)
 {
 	struct udevice *current;
@@ -300,13 +325,22 @@ int eth_init(void)
 		if (device_active(current)) {
 			uchar env_enetaddr[6];
 			struct eth_pdata *pdata = current->platdata;
+			int enetaddr_changed = 0;
 
 			/* Sync environment with network device */
 			if (eth_getenv_enetaddr_by_index("eth", current->seq,
-							 env_enetaddr))
+							 env_enetaddr)) {
+				enetaddr_changed = memcmp(pdata->enetaddr,
+					env_enetaddr, 6);
 				memcpy(pdata->enetaddr, env_enetaddr, 6);
-			else
+			} else {
+				memset(env_enetaddr, 0, 6);
+				enetaddr_changed = memcmp(pdata->enetaddr,
+					env_enetaddr, 6);
 				memset(pdata->enetaddr, 0, 6);
+			}
+			if (enetaddr_changed)
+				eth_write_hwaddr(current);
 
 			ret = eth_get_ops(current)->start(current);
 			if (ret >= 0) {
@@ -401,31 +435,6 @@ int eth_rx(void)
 	return ret;
 }
 
-static int eth_write_hwaddr(struct udevice *dev)
-{
-	struct eth_pdata *pdata = dev->platdata;
-	int ret = 0;
-
-	if (!dev || !device_active(dev))
-		return -EINVAL;
-
-	/* seq is valid since the device is active */
-	if (eth_get_ops(dev)->write_hwaddr && !eth_mac_skip(dev->seq)) {
-		if (!is_valid_ethaddr(pdata->enetaddr)) {
-			printf("\nError: %s address %pM illegal value\n",
-			       dev->name, pdata->enetaddr);
-			return -EINVAL;
-		}
-
-		ret = eth_get_ops(dev)->write_hwaddr(dev);
-		if (ret)
-			printf("\nWarning: %s failed to set MAC address\n",
-			       dev->name);
-	}
-
-	return ret;
-}
-
 int eth_initialize(void)
 {
 	int num_devices = 0;
@@ -834,10 +843,21 @@ int eth_init(void)
 	dev = eth_devices;
 	do {
 		uchar env_enetaddr[6];
+		int enetaddr_changed = 0;
 
 		if (eth_getenv_enetaddr_by_index("eth", dev->index,
-						 env_enetaddr))
+						 env_enetaddr)) {
+			enetaddr_changed = memcmp(dev->enetaddr,
+				env_enetaddr, 6);
 			memcpy(dev->enetaddr, env_enetaddr, 6);
+		} else {
+			memset(env_enetaddr, 0, 6);
+			enetaddr_changed = memcmp(dev->enetaddr,
+				env_enetaddr, 6);
+			memset(dev->enetaddr, 0, 6);
+		}
+		if (enetaddr_changed)
+			eth_write_hwaddr(dev, "eth", dev->index);
 
 		dev = dev->next;
 	} while (dev != eth_devices);