diff --git a/drivers/net/smc911x.c b/drivers/net/smc911x.c
index 7639a92..3ccb0ef 100644
--- a/drivers/net/smc911x.c
+++ b/drivers/net/smc911x.c
@@ -420,7 +420,7 @@
 	struct eth_device *edev;
 	struct smc911x_priv *priv;
 	uint32_t val;
-	int is_32bit;
+	int is_32bit, ret;
 	struct smc911x_plat *pdata = dev->platform_data;
 
 	priv = xzalloc(sizeof(*priv));
@@ -452,6 +452,16 @@
 		}
 	}
 
+	/*
+	 * poll the READY bit in PMT_CTRL. Any other access to the device is
+	 * forbidden while this bit isn't set. Try for 100ms
+	 */
+	ret = wait_on_timeout(100 * MSECOND, smc911x_reg_read(priv, PMT_CTRL) & PMT_CTRL_READY);
+	if (!ret) {
+		dev_err(dev, "Device not READY in 100ms aborting\n");
+		return -ENODEV;
+	}
+
 	val = smc911x_reg_read(priv, BYTE_TEST);
 	if (val == 0x43218765) {
 		dev_dbg(dev, "BYTE_TEST looks swapped, "