diff --git a/include/net.h b/include/net.h
index 2955937..b93e264 100644
--- a/include/net.h
+++ b/include/net.h
@@ -60,6 +60,7 @@
 	IPaddr_t serverip;
 	IPaddr_t netmask;
 	IPaddr_t gateway;
+	char ethaddr_param[6];
 	char ethaddr[6];
 };
 
@@ -67,6 +68,7 @@
 
 int eth_register(struct eth_device* dev);    /* Register network device		*/
 void eth_unregister(struct eth_device* dev); /* Unregister network device	*/
+int eth_set_ethaddr(struct eth_device *edev, const char *ethaddr);
 
 int eth_send(struct eth_device *edev, void *packet, int length);	   /* Send a packet		*/
 int eth_rx(void);			/* Check for received packets	*/
diff --git a/net/eth.c b/net/eth.c
index 0c1ff73..a090961 100644
--- a/net/eth.c
+++ b/net/eth.c
@@ -42,15 +42,27 @@
 
 static LIST_HEAD(ethaddr_list);
 
+int eth_set_ethaddr(struct eth_device *edev, const char *ethaddr)
+{
+	int ret;
+
+	ret = edev->set_ethaddr(edev, ethaddr);
+	if (ret)
+		return ret;
+
+	memcpy(edev->ethaddr, ethaddr, ETH_ALEN);
+
+	return 0;
+}
+
 static void register_preset_mac_address(struct eth_device *edev, const char *ethaddr)
 {
 	unsigned char ethaddr_str[sizeof("xx:xx:xx:xx:xx:xx")];
 
-	ethaddr_to_string(ethaddr, ethaddr_str);
-
 	if (is_valid_ether_addr(ethaddr)) {
+		ethaddr_to_string(ethaddr, ethaddr_str);
 		dev_info(&edev->dev, "got preset MAC address: %s\n", ethaddr_str);
-		dev_set_param(&edev->dev, "ethaddr", ethaddr_str);
+		eth_set_ethaddr(edev, ethaddr);
 	}
 }
 
@@ -261,13 +273,11 @@
 	return 0;
 }
 
-static int eth_set_ethaddr(struct param_d *param, void *priv)
+static int eth_param_set_ethaddr(struct param_d *param, void *priv)
 {
 	struct eth_device *edev = priv;
 
-	edev->set_ethaddr(edev, edev->ethaddr);
-
-	return 0;
+	return eth_set_ethaddr(edev, edev->ethaddr_param);
 }
 
 #ifdef CONFIG_OFTREE
@@ -350,7 +360,8 @@
 	dev_add_param_ip(dev, "serverip", NULL, NULL, &edev->serverip, edev);
 	dev_add_param_ip(dev, "gateway", NULL, NULL, &edev->gateway, edev);
 	dev_add_param_ip(dev, "netmask", NULL, NULL, &edev->netmask, edev);
-	dev_add_param_mac(dev, "ethaddr", eth_set_ethaddr, NULL, edev->ethaddr, edev);
+	dev_add_param_mac(dev, "ethaddr", eth_param_set_ethaddr, NULL,
+			edev->ethaddr_param, edev);
 
 	if (edev->init)
 		edev->init(edev);
diff --git a/net/net.c b/net/net.c
index 07350ad..75292c7 100644
--- a/net/net.c
+++ b/net/net.c
@@ -348,7 +348,7 @@
 		random_ether_addr(edev->ethaddr);
 		ethaddr_to_string(edev->ethaddr, str);
 		printf("warning: No MAC address set. Using random address %s\n", str);
-		dev_set_param(&edev->dev, "ethaddr", str);
+		eth_set_ethaddr(edev, edev->ethaddr);
 	}
 
 	/* If we don't have an ip only broadcast is allowed */