diff --git a/drivers/net/dm9000x.c b/drivers/net/dm9000x.c
index f7170e055460832011de5d8fb28f0a66d22a0f4f..b68d808c74287f010bd29d5a740de617082b60f9 100644
--- a/drivers/net/dm9000x.c
+++ b/drivers/net/dm9000x.c
@@ -342,6 +342,15 @@ static int dm9000_init(struct eth_device *dev, bd_t *bd)
 	DM9000_iow(DM9000_ISR, ISR_ROOS | ISR_ROS | ISR_PTS | ISR_PRS);
 
 	printf("MAC: %pM\n", dev->enetaddr);
+	if (!is_valid_ether_addr(dev->enetaddr)) {
+#ifdef CONFIG_RANDOM_MACADDR
+		printf("Bad MAC address (uninitialized EEPROM?), randomizing\n");
+		eth_random_enetaddr(dev->enetaddr);
+		printf("MAC: %pM\n", dev->enetaddr);
+#else
+		printf("WARNING: Bad MAC address (uninitialized EEPROM?)\n");
+#endif
+	}
 
 	/* fill device MAC address registers */
 	for (i = 0, oft = DM9000_PAR; i < 6; i++, oft++)