diff --git a/drivers/net/sky2.c b/drivers/net/sky2.c
index 4bb52e9cd371afc58db9e8620bf8a3182643f686..68d256b9638cc455e4ea1f5159ac5c0e711f80a0 100644
--- a/drivers/net/sky2.c
+++ b/drivers/net/sky2.c
@@ -1497,7 +1497,6 @@ static int sky2_up(struct net_device *dev)
 	if (ramsize > 0) {
 		u32 rxspace;
 
-		hw->flags |= SKY2_HW_RAM_BUFFER;
 		pr_debug(PFX "%s: ram buffer %dK\n", dev->name, ramsize);
 		if (ramsize < 16)
 			rxspace = ramsize / 2;
@@ -2926,6 +2925,9 @@ static int __devinit sky2_init(struct sky2_hw *hw)
 			++hw->ports;
 	}
 
+	if (sky2_read8(hw, B2_E_0))
+		hw->flags |= SKY2_HW_RAM_BUFFER;
+
 	return 0;
 }