diff --git a/drivers/net/ethernet/renesas/sh_eth.c b/drivers/net/ethernet/renesas/sh_eth.c
index 8f53b5ac7f05341151fb0d373ee500bc45fdbc8c..5a5afbc7273b89b4f6e16efd0448b0a2858bc676 100644
--- a/drivers/net/ethernet/renesas/sh_eth.c
+++ b/drivers/net/ethernet/renesas/sh_eth.c
@@ -1859,8 +1859,8 @@ static int sh_eth_drv_probe(struct platform_device *pdev)
 	/* read and set MAC address */
 	read_mac_address(ndev, pd->mac_addr);
 
-	/* First device only init */
-	if (!devno) {
+	/* initialize first or needed device */
+	if (!devno || pd->needs_init) {
 		if (mdp->cd->tsu) {
 			struct resource *rtsu;
 			rtsu = platform_get_resource(pdev, IORESOURCE_MEM, 1);
diff --git a/include/linux/sh_eth.h b/include/linux/sh_eth.h
index 2076acf8294de4409d68a6c844a99d4587212980..b17d765ded84cc35cb56d066e9f55b683533a8c0 100644
--- a/include/linux/sh_eth.h
+++ b/include/linux/sh_eth.h
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@ struct sh_eth_plat_data {
 	unsigned char mac_addr[6];
 	unsigned no_ether_link:1;
 	unsigned ether_link_active_low:1;
+	unsigned needs_init:1;
 };
 
 #endif