diff --git a/drivers/net/dm9000.c b/drivers/net/dm9000.c
index 851618338b2e..1d790a8e3a98 100644
--- a/drivers/net/dm9000.c
+++ b/drivers/net/dm9000.c
@@ -1048,6 +1048,50 @@ dm9000_rx(struct net_device *dev)
 	} while (rxbyte == DM9000_PKT_RDY);
 }
 
+static unsigned int
+dm9000_read_locked(board_info_t *db, int reg)
+{
+	unsigned long flags;
+	unsigned int ret;
+
+	spin_lock_irqsave(&db->lock, flags);
+	ret = ior(db, reg);
+	spin_unlock_irqrestore(&db->lock, flags);
+
+	return ret;
+}
+
+static int dm9000_wait_eeprom(board_info_t *db)
+{
+	unsigned int status;
+	int timeout = 8;	/* wait max 8msec */
+
+	/* The DM9000 data sheets say we should be able to
+	 * poll the ERRE bit in EPCR to wait for the EEPROM
+	 * operation. From testing several chips, this bit
+	 * does not seem to work. 
+	 *
+	 * We attempt to use the bit, but fall back to the
+	 * timeout (which is why we do not return an error
+	 * on expiry) to say that the EEPROM operation has
+	 * completed.
+	 */
+
+	while (1) {
+		status = dm9000_read_locked(db, DM9000_EPCR);
+
+		if ((status & EPCR_ERRE) == 0)
+			break;
+
+		if (timeout-- < 0) {
+			dev_dbg(db->dev, "timeout waiting EEPROM\n");
+			break;
+		}
+	}
+
+	return 0;
+}
+
 /*
  *  Read a word data from EEPROM
  */
@@ -1065,8 +1109,10 @@ dm9000_read_eeprom(board_info_t *db, int offset, u8 *to)
 
 	spin_unlock_irqrestore(&db->lock, flags);
 
-	mdelay(8);		/* according to the datasheet 200us should be enough,
-				   but it doesn't work */
+	dm9000_wait_eeprom(db);
+
+	/* delay for at-least 150uS */
+	msleep(1);
 
 	spin_lock_irqsave(&db->lock, flags);
 
@@ -1097,7 +1143,9 @@ dm9000_write_eeprom(board_info_t *db, int offset, u8 *data)
 	iow(db, DM9000_EPCR, EPCR_WEP | EPCR_ERPRW);
 	spin_unlock_irqrestore(&db->lock, flags);
 
-	mdelay(8);		/* same shit */
+	dm9000_wait_eeprom(db);
+
+	mdelay(1);	/* wait at least 150uS to clear */
 
 	spin_lock_irqsave(&db->lock, flags);
 	iow(db, DM9000_EPCR, 0);