diff --git a/cpu/mpc83xx/cpu.c b/cpu/mpc83xx/cpu.c
index 5e885ab43c52a1acc1e792521e63cfef3b337b67..587fca323bb587bc56d3690c6b85c6a4f43684fc 100644
--- a/cpu/mpc83xx/cpu.c
+++ b/cpu/mpc83xx/cpu.c
@@ -33,6 +33,7 @@
 #include <asm/processor.h>
 #include <libfdt.h>
 #include <tsec.h>
+#include <netdev.h>
 
 DECLARE_GLOBAL_DATA_PTR;
 
@@ -361,9 +362,26 @@ int dma_xfer(void *dest, u32 count, void *src)
  */
 int cpu_eth_init(bd_t *bis)
 {
+#if defined(CONFIG_UEC_ETH1)
+	uec_initialize(0);
+#endif
+#if defined(CONFIG_UEC_ETH2)
+	uec_initialize(1);
+#endif
+#if defined(CONFIG_UEC_ETH3)
+	uec_initialize(2);
+#endif
+#if defined(CONFIG_UEC_ETH4)
+	uec_initialize(3);
+#endif
+#if defined(CONFIG_UEC_ETH5)
+	uec_initialize(4);
+#endif
+#if defined(CONFIG_UEC_ETH6)
+	uec_initialize(5);
+#endif
 #if defined(CONFIG_TSEC_ENET)
 	tsec_standard_init(bis);
 #endif
-
 	return 0;
 }
diff --git a/cpu/mpc85xx/cpu.c b/cpu/mpc85xx/cpu.c
index fc6bd2d213813f35b8462e9783fc9515d54a9c55..943602f923ee91d109949e84d7546d33be426764 100644
--- a/cpu/mpc85xx/cpu.c
+++ b/cpu/mpc85xx/cpu.c
@@ -387,6 +387,24 @@ int cpu_eth_init(bd_t *bis)
 #if defined(CONFIG_ETHER_ON_FCC)
 	fec_initialize(bis);
 #endif
+#if defined(CONFIG_UEC_ETH1)
+	uec_initialize(0);
+#endif
+#if defined(CONFIG_UEC_ETH2)
+	uec_initialize(1);
+#endif
+#if defined(CONFIG_UEC_ETH3)
+	uec_initialize(2);
+#endif
+#if defined(CONFIG_UEC_ETH4)
+	uec_initialize(3);
+#endif
+#if defined(CONFIG_UEC_ETH5)
+	uec_initialize(4);
+#endif
+#if defined(CONFIG_UEC_ETH6)
+	uec_initialize(5);
+#endif
 #if defined(CONFIG_TSEC_ENET) || defined(CONFIG_MPC85XX_FEC)
 	tsec_standard_init(bis);
 #endif
diff --git a/include/netdev.h b/include/netdev.h
index 0d1b0d5170a094e5e257e5071953b69f1609fba7..3b11961c8b9092f97306901982bca4e869552e5f 100644
--- a/include/netdev.h
+++ b/include/netdev.h
@@ -65,6 +65,7 @@ int rtl8139_initialize(bd_t *bis);
 int rtl8169_initialize(bd_t *bis);
 int skge_initialize(bd_t *bis);
 int tsi108_eth_initialize(bd_t *bis);
+int uec_initialize(int index);
 int uli526x_initialize(bd_t *bis);
 
 /* Boards with PCI network controllers can call this from their board_eth_init()
diff --git a/net/eth.c b/net/eth.c
index 6cf53f4a4c0048ad1b235ddc7244ef4f06b29853..3793dd7cb8ab551a2c98981bfac81910be45c8b8 100644
--- a/net/eth.c
+++ b/net/eth.c
@@ -44,7 +44,6 @@ extern int mv6436x_eth_initialize(bd_t *);
 extern int mv6446x_eth_initialize(bd_t *);
 extern int ppc_4xx_eth_initialize(bd_t *);
 extern int scc_initialize(bd_t*);
-extern int uec_initialize(int);
 
 #ifdef CONFIG_API
 extern void (*push_packet)(volatile void *, int);
@@ -164,24 +163,6 @@ int eth_initialize(bd_t *bis)
 #endif
 #if defined(CONFIG_MPC8220_FEC)
 	mpc8220_fec_initialize(bis);
-#endif
-#if defined(CONFIG_UEC_ETH1)
-	uec_initialize(0);
-#endif
-#if defined(CONFIG_UEC_ETH2)
-	uec_initialize(1);
-#endif
-#if defined(CONFIG_UEC_ETH3)
-	uec_initialize(2);
-#endif
-#if defined(CONFIG_UEC_ETH4)
-	uec_initialize(3);
-#endif
-#if defined(CONFIG_UEC_ETH5)
-	uec_initialize(4);
-#endif
-#if defined(CONFIG_UEC_ETH6)
-	uec_initialize(5);
 #endif
 	if (!eth_devices) {
 		puts ("No ethernet found.\n");