diff --git a/include/net.h b/include/net.h
index f9984ae86ca5614f275e427b2eeba6015b585f37..de2d7bba19d3937181a42f4d2c72c7e9adb2d50c 100644
--- a/include/net.h
+++ b/include/net.h
@@ -839,6 +839,9 @@ ushort env_get_vlan(char *);
 /* copy a filename (allow for "..." notation, limit length) */
 void copy_filename(char *dst, const char *src, int size);
 
+/* check if serverip is specified in filename from the command line */
+int is_serverip_in_cmd(void);
+
 /* get a random source port */
 unsigned int random_port(void);
 
diff --git a/net/net.c b/net/net.c
index f35695b4fc9f0b62ffd8189c4cc9693c9dc41f87..bff3e9c5b531cc76254b835b8bb5e938f0bc3a46 100644
--- a/net/net.c
+++ b/net/net.c
@@ -1341,7 +1341,7 @@ static int net_check_prereq(enum proto_t protocol)
 		/* Fall through */
 	case TFTPGET:
 	case TFTPPUT:
-		if (net_server_ip.s_addr == 0) {
+		if (net_server_ip.s_addr == 0 && !is_serverip_in_cmd()) {
 			puts("*** ERROR: `serverip' not set\n");
 			return 1;
 		}
@@ -1512,6 +1512,11 @@ void copy_filename(char *dst, const char *src, int size)
 	*dst = '\0';
 }
 
+int is_serverip_in_cmd(void)
+{
+	return !!strchr(net_boot_file_name, ':');
+}
+
 #if	defined(CONFIG_CMD_NFS)		|| \
 	defined(CONFIG_CMD_SNTP)	|| \
 	defined(CONFIG_CMD_DNS)