diff --git a/board/keymile/km_arm/km_arm.c b/board/keymile/km_arm/km_arm.c
index ea5d0db..2b2ca39 100644
--- a/board/keymile/km_arm/km_arm.c
+++ b/board/keymile/km_arm/km_arm.c
@@ -243,38 +243,51 @@ int misc_init_r(void)
 
 int board_early_init_f(void)
 {
+#if defined(CONFIG_SOFT_I2C)
 	u32 tmp;
 
+	/* set the 2 bitbang i2c pins as output gpios */
+	tmp = readl(KW_GPIO0_BASE + 4);
+	writel(tmp & (~KM_KIRKWOOD_SOFT_I2C_GPIOS) , KW_GPIO0_BASE + 4);
+#endif
+
 	kirkwood_mpp_conf(kwmpp_config, NULL);
+	return 0;
+}
 
+int board_init(void)
+{
 	/*
-	 * The FLASH_GPIO_PIN switches between using a
+	 * arch number of board
+	 */
+	gd->bd->bi_arch_number = MACH_TYPE_KM_KIRKWOOD;
+
+	/* address of boot parameters */
+	gd->bd->bi_boot_params = kw_sdram_bar(0) + 0x100;
+
+	/*
+	 * The KM_FLASH_GPIO_PIN switches between using a
 	 * NAND or a SPI FLASH. Set this pin on start
 	 * to NAND mode.
 	 */
-	tmp = readl(KW_GPIO0_BASE);
-	writel(tmp | FLASH_GPIO_PIN , KW_GPIO0_BASE);
-	tmp = readl(KW_GPIO0_BASE + 4);
-	writel(tmp & (~FLASH_GPIO_PIN) , KW_GPIO0_BASE + 4);
+	kw_gpio_set_valid(KM_FLASH_GPIO_PIN, 1);
+	kw_gpio_direction_output(KM_FLASH_GPIO_PIN, 1);
 
 #if defined(CONFIG_SOFT_I2C)
-	/* init the GPIO for I2C Bitbang driver */
+	/*
+	 * Reinit the GPIO for I2C Bitbang driver so that the now
+	 * available gpio framework is consistent. The calls to
+	 * direction output in are not necessary, they are already done in
+	 * board_early_init_f
+	 */
 	kw_gpio_set_valid(KM_KIRKWOOD_SDA_PIN, 1);
 	kw_gpio_set_valid(KM_KIRKWOOD_SCL_PIN, 1);
-	kw_gpio_direction_output(KM_KIRKWOOD_SDA_PIN, 0);
-	kw_gpio_direction_output(KM_KIRKWOOD_SCL_PIN, 0);
 #endif
+
 #if defined(CONFIG_SYS_EEPROM_WREN)
 	kw_gpio_set_valid(KM_KIRKWOOD_ENV_WP, 38);
 	kw_gpio_direction_output(KM_KIRKWOOD_ENV_WP, 1);
 #endif
-	return 0;
-}
-
-int board_init(void)
-{
-	/* address of boot parameters */
-	gd->bd->bi_boot_params = kw_sdram_bar(0) + 0x100;
 
 #if defined(CONFIG_KM_FPGA_CONFIG)
 	trigger_fpga_config();
diff --git a/include/configs/km/km_arm.h b/include/configs/km/km_arm.h
index 1a5f04b..3aa5ca1 100644
--- a/include/configs/km/km_arm.h
+++ b/include/configs/km/km_arm.h
@@ -192,6 +192,7 @@ int get_sda(void);
 int get_scl(void);
 #define KM_KIRKWOOD_SDA_PIN	8
 #define KM_KIRKWOOD_SCL_PIN	9
+#define KM_KIRKWOOD_SOFT_I2C_GPIOS	0x0300
 #define KM_KIRKWOOD_ENV_WP	38
 
 #define I2C_ACTIVE	__set_direction(KM_KIRKWOOD_SDA_PIN, 0)