diff --git a/board/etin/debris/debris.c b/board/etin/debris/debris.c
index 227c49a..a971af3 100644
--- a/board/etin/debris/debris.c
+++ b/board/etin/debris/debris.c
@@ -173,9 +173,13 @@
 
 int misc_init_r(void)
 {
-	/* Write ethernet addr in NVRAM for VxWorks */
-	nvram_write(CONFIG_ENV_ADDR + CONFIG_SYS_NVRAM_VXWORKS_OFFS,
-			(char*)&gd->bd->bi_enetaddr[0], 6);
+	uchar ethaddr[6];
+
+	if (eth_getenv_enetaddr("ethaddr", ethaddr))
+		/* Write ethernet addr in NVRAM for VxWorks */
+		nvram_write(CONFIG_ENV_ADDR + CONFIG_SYS_NVRAM_VXWORKS_OFFS,
+				ethaddr, 6);
+
 	return 0;
 }
 
diff --git a/board/keymile/km8xx/km8xx.c b/board/keymile/km8xx/km8xx.c
index 845d3f2..7c58179 100644
--- a/board/keymile/km8xx/km8xx.c
+++ b/board/keymile/km8xx/km8xx.c
@@ -174,6 +174,7 @@
 	ulong memory_data[2] = {0};
 	ulong flash_data[4] = {0};
 	ulong flash_reg[3] = {0};
+	uchar enetaddr[6];
 
 	memory_data[0] = cpu_to_be32 (bd->bi_memstart);
 	memory_data[1] = cpu_to_be32 (bd->bi_memsize);
@@ -195,8 +196,9 @@
 				sizeof (brg_data));
 
 	/* MAC adr */
+	eth_getenv_enetaddr("ethaddr", enetaddr);
 	fdt_set_node_and_value (blob, "/soc/cpm/ethernet", "mac-address",
-				bd->bi_enetaddr, sizeof (u8) * 6);
+				enetaddr, sizeof (u8) * 6);
 }
 
 void ft_board_setup(void *blob, bd_t *bd)
diff --git a/board/keymile/mgcoge/mgcoge.c b/board/keymile/mgcoge/mgcoge.c
index 0e3aa49..67722e7 100644
--- a/board/keymile/mgcoge/mgcoge.c
+++ b/board/keymile/mgcoge/mgcoge.c
@@ -326,6 +326,7 @@
 	ulong memory_data[2] = {0};
 	ulong flash_data[8] = {0};
 	flash_info_t	*info;
+	uchar enetaddr[6];
 
 	memory_data[0] = cpu_to_be32 (bd->bi_memstart);
 	memory_data[1] = cpu_to_be32 (bd->bi_memsize);
@@ -344,8 +345,9 @@
 	fdt_set_node_and_value (blob, "/localbus", "ranges", flash_data,
 				sizeof (flash_data));
 	/* MAC addr */
+	eth_getenv_enetaddr("ethaddr", enetaddr);
 	fdt_set_node_and_value (blob, "/soc/cpm/ethernet", "mac-address",
-				bd->bi_enetaddr, sizeof (u8) * 6);
+				enetaddr, sizeof (u8) * 6);
 }
 
 void ft_board_setup (void *blob, bd_t *bd)
diff --git a/board/mpl/vcma9/cmd_vcma9.c b/board/mpl/vcma9/cmd_vcma9.c
index 2748fa9..7d2aa3c 100644
--- a/board/mpl/vcma9/cmd_vcma9.c
+++ b/board/mpl/vcma9/cmd_vcma9.c
@@ -76,21 +76,18 @@
 			cs8900_e2prom_write(addr, data);
 		} else if (strcmp(argv[2], "setaddr") == 0) {
 			uchar addr, i, csum; ushort data;
+			uchar ethaddr[6];
 
 			/* check for valid ethaddr */
-			for (i = 0; i < 6; i++)
-				if (gd->bd->bi_enetaddr[i] != 0)
-					break;
-
-			if (i < 6) {
+			if (eth_getenv_enetaddr("ethaddr", ethaddr)) {
 				addr = 1;
 				data = 0x2158;
 				cs8900_e2prom_write(addr, data);
 				csum = cs8900_chksum(data);
 				addr++;
 				for (i = 0; i < 6; i+=2) {
-					data = gd->bd->bi_enetaddr[i+1] << 8 |
-					       gd->bd->bi_enetaddr[i];
+					data = enetaddr[i+1] << 8 |
+					       enetaddr[i];
 					cs8900_e2prom_write(addr, data);
 					csum += cs8900_chksum(data);
 					addr++;
diff --git a/board/muas3001/muas3001.c b/board/muas3001/muas3001.c
index 6b1e59f..8f83dd9 100644
--- a/board/muas3001/muas3001.c
+++ b/board/muas3001/muas3001.c
@@ -346,7 +346,9 @@
 	/* MAC Adresse */
 	nodeoffset = fdt_path_offset (blob, "/soc/cpm/ethernet");
 	if (nodeoffset >= 0) {
-		ret = fdt_setprop (blob, nodeoffset, "mac-address", bd->bi_enetaddr,
+		uchar ethaddr[6];
+		eth_getenv_enetaddr("ethaddr", ethaddr);
+		ret = fdt_setprop (blob, nodeoffset, "mac-address", ethaddr,
 					sizeof (uchar) * 6);
 	if (ret < 0)
 		printf ("ft_blob_update): cannot set /soc/cpm/ethernet/mac-address "
diff --git a/board/netstal/common/nm_bsp.c b/board/netstal/common/nm_bsp.c
index e38b706..237f4ed74 100644
--- a/board/netstal/common/nm_bsp.c
+++ b/board/netstal/common/nm_bsp.c
@@ -83,40 +83,20 @@
 
 void common_misc_init_r(void)
 {
-	char *s = getenv(DEFAULT_ETH_ADDR);
-	char *e;
-	int i;
-	u32 serial = get_serial_number();
 	IPaddr_t ipaddr;
 	char *ipstring;
+	uchar ethaddr[6];
 
-	for (i = 0; i < 6; ++i) {
-		gd->bd->bi_enetaddr[i] = s ? simple_strtoul(s, &e, 16) : 0;
-		if (s)
-			s = (*e) ? e + 1 : e;
-	}
-
-	if (gd->bd->bi_enetaddr[3] == 0 &&
-	    gd->bd->bi_enetaddr[4] == 0 &&
-	    gd->bd->bi_enetaddr[5] == 0) {
-		char ethaddr[22];
-
+	if (!eth_getenv_enetaddr(DEFAULT_ETH_ADDR, ethaddr)) {
 		/* Must be in sync with CONFIG_ETHADDR */
-		gd->bd->bi_enetaddr[0] = 0x00;
-		gd->bd->bi_enetaddr[1] = 0x60;
-		gd->bd->bi_enetaddr[2] = 0x13;
-		gd->bd->bi_enetaddr[3] = (serial >> 16) & 0xff;
-		gd->bd->bi_enetaddr[4] = (serial >>  8) & 0xff;
-		gd->bd->bi_enetaddr[5] = hcu_get_slot();
-		sprintf(ethaddr, "%02X:%02X:%02X:%02X:%02X:%02X%c",
-			gd->bd->bi_enetaddr[0], gd->bd->bi_enetaddr[1],
-			gd->bd->bi_enetaddr[2], gd->bd->bi_enetaddr[3],
-			gd->bd->bi_enetaddr[4],
-			gd->bd->bi_enetaddr[5],
-			0) ;
-		printf("%s: Setting eth %s serial 0x%x\n",  __FUNCTION__,
-		       ethaddr, serial);
-		setenv(DEFAULT_ETH_ADDR, ethaddr);
+		u32 serial = get_serial_number();
+		ethaddr[0] = 0x00;
+		ethaddr[1] = 0x60;
+		ethaddr[2] = 0x13;
+		ethaddr[3] = (serial >> 16) & 0xff;
+		ethaddr[4] = (serial >>  8) & 0xff;
+		ethaddr[5] = hcu_get_slot();
+		eth_setenv_enetaddr(DEFAULT_ETH_ADDR, ethaddr);
 	}
 
 	/* IP-Adress update */
diff --git a/board/pn62/pn62.c b/board/pn62/pn62.c
index 1b545bf..53d7e57 100644
--- a/board/pn62/pn62.c
+++ b/board/pn62/pn62.c
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@
 DECLARE_GLOBAL_DATA_PTR;
 
 static int get_serial_number (char *string, int size);
-static int get_mac_address (int id, u8 * mac, char *string, int size);
+static void get_mac_address(int id, u8 *mac);
 
 #ifdef CONFIG_SHOW_BOOT_PROGRESS
 void show_boot_progress (int phase)
@@ -138,18 +138,16 @@
 	}
 	show_startup_phase (9);
 
-	if (getenv ("ethaddr") == NULL &&
-		get_mac_address (0, mac, str, sizeof (str)) > 0) {
-		setenv ("ethaddr", str);
-		memcpy (gd->bd->bi_enetaddr, mac, 6);
+	if (!eth_getenv_enetaddr("ethaddr", mac)) {
+		get_mac_address(0, mac);
+		eth_setenv_enetaddr("ethaddr", mac);
 	}
 	show_startup_phase (10);
 
 #ifdef CONFIG_HAS_ETH1
-	if (getenv ("eth1addr") == NULL &&
-		get_mac_address (1, mac, str, sizeof (str)) > 0) {
-		setenv ("eth1addr", str);
-		memcpy (gd->bd->bi_enet1addr, mac, 6);
+	if (!eth_getenv_enetaddr("eth1addr", mac)) {
+		get_mac_address(1, mac);
+		eth_setenv_enetaddr("eth1addr", mac);
 	}
 #endif /* CONFIG_HAS_ETH1 */
 	show_startup_phase (11);
@@ -177,15 +175,9 @@
 	return i;
 }
 
-static int get_mac_address (int id, u8 * mac, char *string, int size)
+static void get_mac_address(int id, u8 *mac)
 {
-	if (size < 6 * 3)
-		return -1;
-
 	i2155x_read_vpd (I2155X_VPD_MAC0_START + 6 * id, 6, mac);
-	return sprintf (string, "%02x:%02x:%02x:%02x:%02x:%02x",
-				mac[0], mac[1], mac[2],
-				mac[3], mac[4], mac[5]);
 }
 
 int board_eth_init(bd_t *bis)
diff --git a/board/sixnet/sixnet.c b/board/sixnet/sixnet.c
index 3ed581e..4fcd84b 100644
--- a/board/sixnet/sixnet.c
+++ b/board/sixnet/sixnet.c
@@ -264,6 +264,7 @@
 	char* e;
 	int reg;
 	bd_t *bd = gd->bd;
+	uchar enetaddr[6];
 
 	memctl->memc_or2 = NVRAM_OR_PRELIM;
 	memctl->memc_br2 = NVRAM_BR_VALUE;
@@ -315,13 +316,9 @@
 	 * is present it gets a unique address, otherwise it
 	 * shares the FEC address.
 	 */
-	s = getenv("eth1addr");
-	if (s == NULL)
-		s = getenv("ethaddr");
-	for (reg=0; reg<6; ++reg) {
-		bd->bi_enet1addr[reg] = s ? simple_strtoul(s, &e, 16) : 0;
-		if (s)
-			s = (*e) ? e+1 : e;
+	if (!eth_getenv_enetaddr("eth1addr", enetaddr)) {
+		eth_getenv_enetaddr("ethaddr", enetaddr);
+		eth_setenv_enetaddr("eth1addr", enetaddr);
 	}
 
 	return (0);
diff --git a/board/xilinx/xilinx_enet/emac_adapter.c b/board/xilinx/xilinx_enet/emac_adapter.c
index 0b100d2..35bcc4d 100644
--- a/board/xilinx/xilinx_enet/emac_adapter.c
+++ b/board/xilinx/xilinx_enet/emac_adapter.c
@@ -74,6 +74,7 @@
 {
 	u32 Options;
 	XStatus Result;
+	uchar enetaddr[6];
 
 #ifdef DEBUG
 	printf("EMAC Initialization Started\n\r");
@@ -87,11 +88,14 @@
 	/* make sure the Emac is stopped before it is started */
 	(void) XEmac_Stop(&Emac);
 
+	if (!eth_getenv_enetaddr("ethaddr", enetaddr)) {
 #ifdef CONFIG_ENV_IS_NOWHERE
-	memcpy(bis->bi_enetaddr, EMACAddr, 6);
+		memcpy(enetaddr, EMACAddr, 6);
+		eth_setenv_enetaddr("ethaddr", enetaddr);
 #endif
+	}
 
-	Result = XEmac_SetMacAddress(&Emac, bis->bi_enetaddr);
+	Result = XEmac_SetMacAddress(&Emac, enetaddr);
 	if (Result != XST_SUCCESS) {
 		return 0;
 	}