diff --git a/drivers/net/mv643xx_eth.c b/drivers/net/mv643xx_eth.c
index 9ba21e0f27c5..1ee27c360a4b 100644
--- a/drivers/net/mv643xx_eth.c
+++ b/drivers/net/mv643xx_eth.c
@@ -787,6 +787,12 @@ static int mv643xx_eth_open(struct net_device *dev)
 	unsigned int size;
 	int err;
 
+	/* Clear any pending ethernet port interrupts */
+	mv_write(MV643XX_ETH_INTERRUPT_CAUSE_REG(port_num), 0);
+	mv_write(MV643XX_ETH_INTERRUPT_CAUSE_EXTEND_REG(port_num), 0);
+	/* wait for previous write to complete */
+	mv_read (MV643XX_ETH_INTERRUPT_CAUSE_EXTEND_REG(port_num));
+
 	err = request_irq(dev->irq, mv643xx_eth_int_handler,
 			IRQF_SHARED | IRQF_SAMPLE_RANDOM, dev->name, dev);
 	if (err) {
@@ -875,10 +881,6 @@ static int mv643xx_eth_open(struct net_device *dev)
 
 	mv643xx_eth_rx_refill_descs(dev);	/* Fill RX ring with skb's */
 
-	/* Clear any pending ethernet port interrupts */
-	mv_write(MV643XX_ETH_INTERRUPT_CAUSE_REG(port_num), 0);
-	mv_write(MV643XX_ETH_INTERRUPT_CAUSE_EXTEND_REG(port_num), 0);
-
 	eth_port_start(dev);
 
 	/* Interrupt Coalescing */