diff --git a/drivers/mci/atmel_mci.c b/drivers/mci/atmel_mci.c
index 9de079d..dbfb53c 100644
--- a/drivers/mci/atmel_mci.c
+++ b/drivers/mci/atmel_mci.c
@@ -355,18 +355,25 @@
 	return 0;
 }
 
+static int atmci_card_present(struct mci_host *mci)
+{
+	struct atmel_mci *host = to_mci_host(mci);
+	struct atmel_mci_platform_data *pd = host->hw_dev->platform_data;
+	int ret;
+
+	/* No gpio, assume card is present */
+	if (!gpio_is_valid(pd->detect_pin))
+		return 1;
+
+	ret = gpio_get_value(pd->detect_pin);
+
+	return ret == 0 ? 1 : 0;
+}
+
 /** init the host interface */
 static int atmci_reset(struct mci_host *mci, struct device_d *mci_dev)
 {
-	int ret;
 	struct atmel_mci *host = to_mci_host(mci);
-	struct atmel_mci_platform_data *pd = host->hw_dev->platform_data;
-
-	ret = gpio_get_value(pd->detect_pin);
-	dev_dbg(host->hw_dev, "card %sdetected\n", ret != 0 ? "not " : "");
-
-	if (pd->detect_pin && ret == 1)
-		return -ENODEV;
 
 	clk_enable(host->clk);
 	atmci_writel(host, ATMCI_DTOR, 0x7f);
@@ -554,6 +561,7 @@
 	host->mci.send_cmd = atmci_request;
 	host->mci.set_ios = atmci_set_ios;
 	host->mci.init = atmci_reset;
+	host->mci.card_present = atmci_card_present;
 	host->mci.hw_dev = hw_dev;
 
 	if (pd->bus_width >= 4)
diff --git a/drivers/mci/imx-esdhc.c b/drivers/mci/imx-esdhc.c
index dfeb509..aad1b86 100644
--- a/drivers/mci/imx-esdhc.c
+++ b/drivers/mci/imx-esdhc.c
@@ -421,8 +421,9 @@
 
 }
 
-static int esdhc_card_detect(struct fsl_esdhc_host *host)
+static int esdhc_card_present(struct mci_host *mci)
 {
+	struct fsl_esdhc_host *host = to_fsl_esdhc(mci);
 	struct fsl_esdhc __iomem *regs = host->regs;
 	struct esdhc_platform_data *pdata = host->dev->platform_data;
 	int ret;
@@ -453,16 +454,6 @@
 	int timeout = 1000;
 	int ret = 0;
 
-	ret = esdhc_card_detect(host);
-
-	if (ret == 0)
-		return -ENODEV;
-
-	if (ret < 0)
-		return ret;
-
-	ret = 0;
-
 	/* Enable cache snooping */
 	if (host && !host->no_snoop)
 		esdhc_write32(&regs->scr, 0x00000040);
@@ -561,6 +552,7 @@
 	host->mci.send_cmd = esdhc_send_cmd;
 	host->mci.set_ios = esdhc_set_ios;
 	host->mci.init = esdhc_init;
+	host->mci.card_present = esdhc_card_present;
 	host->mci.hw_dev = dev;
 
 	rate = clk_get_rate(host->clk);
diff --git a/drivers/mci/mci-core.c b/drivers/mci/mci-core.c
index 559f8ab..a269aee 100644
--- a/drivers/mci/mci-core.c
+++ b/drivers/mci/mci-core.c
@@ -1111,8 +1111,14 @@
 				const void *buffer, int block, int num_blocks)
 {
 	struct mci *mci = container_of(blk, struct mci, blk);
+	struct mci_host *host = mci->host;
 	int rc;
 
+	if (host->card_write_protected && host->card_write_protected(host)) {
+		dev_err(mci->mci_dev, "card write protected\n");
+		return -EPERM;
+	}
+
 	dev_dbg(mci->mci_dev, "%s: Write %d block(s), starting at %d\n",
 		__func__, num_blocks, block);
 
@@ -1352,6 +1358,11 @@
 	struct mci_host *host = mci->host;
 	int rc, disknum;
 
+	if (host->card_present && !host->card_present(host)) {
+		dev_err(mci->mci_dev, "no card inserted\n");
+		return -ENODEV;
+	}
+
 	/* start with a host interface reset */
 	rc = (host->init)(host, mci->mci_dev);
 	if (rc) {
@@ -1448,7 +1459,7 @@
 
 	rc = mci_check_if_already_initialized(mci);
 	if (rc != 0)
-		return rc;
+		return 0;
 
 	probe = simple_strtoul(val, NULL, 0);
 	if (probe != 0) {
@@ -1499,34 +1510,18 @@
 
 	dev_info(mci->host->hw_dev, "registered as %s\n", dev_name(mci_dev));
 
-#ifdef CONFIG_MCI_STARTUP
-	/* if enabled, probe the attached card immediately */
-	rc = mci_card_probe(mci);
-	if (rc) {
-		/*
-		 * If it fails, add the 'probe' parameter to give the user
-		 * a chance to insert a card and try again. Note: This may fail
-		 * systems that rely on the MCI card for startup (for the
-		 * persistant environment for example)
-		 */
-		rc = add_mci_parameter(mci_dev);
-		if (rc != 0) {
-			dev_dbg(mci->mci_dev, "Failed to add 'probe' parameter to the MCI device\n");
-			goto on_error;
-		}
-	}
-#endif
-
-#ifndef CONFIG_MCI_STARTUP
-	/* add params on demand */
 	rc = add_mci_parameter(mci_dev);
 	if (rc != 0) {
 		dev_dbg(mci->mci_dev, "Failed to add 'probe' parameter to the MCI device\n");
 		goto on_error;
 	}
+
+#ifdef CONFIG_MCI_STARTUP
+	/* if enabled, probe the attached card immediately */
+	mci_card_probe(mci);
 #endif
 
-	return rc;
+	return 0;
 
 on_error:
 	free(mci);
diff --git a/include/mci.h b/include/mci.h
index 0041e27..cf9582d 100644
--- a/include/mci.h
+++ b/include/mci.h
@@ -300,6 +300,10 @@
 	void (*set_ios)(struct mci_host*, struct mci_ios *);
 	/** handle a command */
 	int (*send_cmd)(struct mci_host*, struct mci_cmd*, struct mci_data*);
+	/** check if a card is inserted */
+	int (*card_present)(struct mci_host *);
+	/** check if a card is write protected */
+	int (*card_write_protected)(struct mci_host *);
 };
 
 /** MMC/SD and interface instance information */