diff --git a/cpu/mpc83xx/cpu.c b/cpu/mpc83xx/cpu.c
index 36de78d270877ebaa8727c5db81878d2e135d1f2..94d1a137e27cc4cf36de904ff5c46824c738500c 100644
--- a/cpu/mpc83xx/cpu.c
+++ b/cpu/mpc83xx/cpu.c
@@ -358,3 +358,23 @@ int dma_xfer(void *dest, u32 count, void *src)
 	return ((int)dma_check());
 }
 #endif /*CONFIG_DDR_ECC*/
+
+#ifdef CONFIG_TSEC_ENET
+/* Default initializations for TSEC controllers.  To override,
+ * create a board-specific function called:
+ * 	int board_eth_init(bd_t *bis)
+ */
+
+extern int tsec_initialize(bd_t * bis, int index, char *devname);
+
+int cpu_eth_init(bd_t *bis)
+{
+#if defined(CONFIG_TSEC1)
+	tsec_initialize(bis, 0, CONFIG_TSEC1_NAME);
+#endif
+#if defined(CONFIG_TSEC2)
+	tsec_initialize(bis, 1, CONFIG_TSEC2_NAME);
+#endif
+	return 0;
+}
+#endif
diff --git a/cpu/mpc85xx/cpu.c b/cpu/mpc85xx/cpu.c
index baf8b8193298974528c75849ff0181d9c8491f3f..fcdb5877eadd94c99db337d50ff3d2fd4c857774 100644
--- a/cpu/mpc85xx/cpu.c
+++ b/cpu/mpc85xx/cpu.c
@@ -353,3 +353,33 @@ void upmconfig (uint upm, uint * table, uint size)
 	}
 	out_be32(mxmr, loopval); /* OP_NORMAL */
 }
+
+#if defined(CONFIG_TSEC_ENET) || defined(CONFIGMPC85XX_FEC)
+/* Default initializations for TSEC controllers.  To override,
+ * create a board-specific function called:
+ * 	int board_eth_init(bd_t *bis)
+ */
+
+extern int tsec_initialize(bd_t * bis, int index, char *devname);
+
+int cpu_eth_init(bd_t *bis)
+{
+#if defined(CONFIG_TSEC1)
+	tsec_initialize(bis, 0, CONFIG_TSEC1_NAME);
+#endif
+#if defined(CONFIG_TSEC2)
+	tsec_initialize(bis, 1, CONFIG_TSEC2_NAME);
+#endif
+#if defined(CONFIG_MPC85XX_FEC)
+	tsec_initialize(bis, 2, CONFIG_MPC85XX_FEC_NAME);
+#else
+#if defined(CONFIG_TSEC3)
+	tsec_initialize(bis, 2, CONFIG_TSEC3_NAME);
+#endif
+#if defined(CONFIG_TSEC4)
+	tsec_initialize(bis, 3, CONFIG_TSEC4_NAME);
+#endif
+#endif
+	return 0;
+}
+#endif
diff --git a/cpu/mpc86xx/cpu.c b/cpu/mpc86xx/cpu.c
index e26bf3671deac69bf253f6f86c23fb27e77e2f91..4eaed058df662cd80054df7b648157c81e703931 100644
--- a/cpu/mpc86xx/cpu.c
+++ b/cpu/mpc86xx/cpu.c
@@ -290,3 +290,30 @@ void mpc86xx_reginfo(void)
 	printf("\tBR7\t0x%08X\tOR7\t0x%08X \n", in_be32(&lbc->br7), in_be32(&lbc->or7));
 
 }
+
+#ifdef CONFIG_TSEC_ENET
+/* Default initializations for TSEC controllers.  To override,
+ * create a board-specific function called:
+ * 	int board_eth_init(bd_t *bis)
+ */
+
+extern int tsec_initialize(bd_t * bis, int index, char *devname);
+
+int cpu_eth_init(bd_t *bis)
+{
+#if defined(CONFIG_TSEC1)
+	tsec_initialize(bis, 0, CONFIG_TSEC1_NAME);
+#endif
+#if defined(CONFIG_TSEC2)
+	tsec_initialize(bis, 1, CONFIG_TSEC2_NAME);
+#endif
+#if defined(CONFIG_TSEC3)
+	tsec_initialize(bis, 2, CONFIG_TSEC3_NAME);
+#endif
+#if defined(CONFIG_TSEC4)
+	tsec_initialize(bis, 3, CONFIG_TSEC4_NAME);
+#endif
+	return 0;
+}
+#endif
+
diff --git a/net/eth.c b/net/eth.c
index 21d14961cb20e04b95ccb739184ae39a43db41fd..7fc9aeea5efb8d5f8d9dd05bc3d42a0920b4c6d1 100644
--- a/net/eth.c
+++ b/net/eth.c
@@ -28,6 +28,17 @@
 
 #if defined(CONFIG_CMD_NET) && defined(CONFIG_NET_MULTI)
 
+/*
+ * CPU and board-specific Ethernet initializations.  Aliased function
+ * signals caller to move on
+ */
+static int __def_eth_init(bd_t *bis)
+{
+	return -1;
+}
+int cpu_eth_init(bd_t *bis) __attribute((weak, alias("__def_eth_init")));
+int board_eth_init(bd_t *bis) __attribute((weak, alias("__def_eth_init")));
+
 #ifdef CFG_GT_6426x
 extern int gt6426x_eth_initialize(bd_t *bis);
 #endif
@@ -55,7 +66,6 @@ extern int scc_initialize(bd_t*);
 extern int skge_initialize(bd_t*);
 extern int tsi108_eth_initialize(bd_t*);
 extern int uli526x_initialize(bd_t *);
-extern int tsec_initialize(bd_t*, int, char *);
 extern int npe_initialize(bd_t *);
 extern int uec_initialize(int);
 extern int bfin_EMAC_initialize(bd_t *);
@@ -165,6 +175,10 @@ int eth_initialize(bd_t *bis)
 #if defined(CONFIG_MII) || defined(CONFIG_CMD_MII)
 	miiphy_init();
 #endif
+	/* Try board-specific initialization first.  If it fails or isn't
+	 * present, try the cpu-specific initialization */
+	if (board_eth_init(bis) < 0)
+		cpu_eth_init(bis);
 
 #if defined(CONFIG_DB64360) || defined(CONFIG_CPCI750)
 	mv6436x_eth_initialize(bis);
@@ -196,22 +210,6 @@ int eth_initialize(bd_t *bis)
 #if defined(CONFIG_SK98)
 	skge_initialize(bis);
 #endif
-#if defined(CONFIG_TSEC1)
-	tsec_initialize(bis, 0, CONFIG_TSEC1_NAME);
-#endif
-#if defined(CONFIG_TSEC2)
-	tsec_initialize(bis, 1, CONFIG_TSEC2_NAME);
-#endif
-#if defined(CONFIG_MPC85XX_FEC)
-	tsec_initialize(bis, 2, CONFIG_MPC85XX_FEC_NAME);
-#else
-#    if defined(CONFIG_TSEC3)
-	tsec_initialize(bis, 2, CONFIG_TSEC3_NAME);
-#    endif
-#    if defined(CONFIG_TSEC4)
-	tsec_initialize(bis, 3, CONFIG_TSEC4_NAME);
-#    endif
-#endif
 #if defined(CONFIG_UEC_ETH1)
 	uec_initialize(0);
 #endif