diff --git a/drivers/net/dm9000.c b/drivers/net/dm9000.c
index e4390d917b81d15b32313a230f24a6884e7cf72f..b5e47dfa5529590db808bd07158c68d9a1ddb3f0 100644
--- a/drivers/net/dm9000.c
+++ b/drivers/net/dm9000.c
@@ -137,6 +137,7 @@ typedef struct board_info {
 	u16 dbug_cnt;
 	u8 io_mode;		/* 0:word, 2:byte */
 	u8 phy_addr;
+	unsigned int flags;
 
 	void (*inblk)(void __iomem *port, void *data, int length);
 	void (*outblk)(void __iomem *port, void *data, int length);
@@ -525,6 +526,8 @@ dm9000_probe(struct platform_device *pdev)
 
 		if (pdata->dumpblk != NULL)
 			db->dumpblk = pdata->dumpblk;
+
+		db->flags = pdata->flags;
 	}
 
 	dm9000_reset(db);
@@ -665,6 +668,9 @@ dm9000_init_dm9000(struct net_device *dev)
 	iow(db, DM9000_GPCR, GPCR_GEP_CNTL);	/* Let GPIO0 output */
 	iow(db, DM9000_GPR, 0);	/* Enable PHY */
 
+	if (db->flags & DM9000_PLATF_EXT_PHY)
+		iow(db, DM9000_NCR, NCR_EXT_PHY);
+
 	/* Program operating register */
 	iow(db, DM9000_TCR, 0);	        /* TX Polling clear */
 	iow(db, DM9000_BPTR, 0x3f);	/* Less 3Kb, 200us */
diff --git a/include/linux/dm9000.h b/include/linux/dm9000.h
index 0008e2ad0c9f78dc6d8b2e969f9d193c8989d06e..ea530fd1be744d55d33a083fb64df615b23c845d 100644
--- a/include/linux/dm9000.h
+++ b/include/linux/dm9000.h
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@
 #define DM9000_PLATF_8BITONLY	(0x0001)
 #define DM9000_PLATF_16BITONLY	(0x0002)
 #define DM9000_PLATF_32BITONLY	(0x0004)
+#define DM9000_PLATF_EXT_PHY	(0x0008)
 
 /* platfrom data for platfrom device structure's platfrom_data field */