diff --git a/drivers/net/ethernet/alteon/acenic.c b/drivers/net/ethernet/alteon/acenic.c
index eeb86bd851f9a..732da15a38274 100644
--- a/drivers/net/ethernet/alteon/acenic.c
+++ b/drivers/net/ethernet/alteon/acenic.c
@@ -869,6 +869,7 @@ static int ace_init(struct net_device *dev)
 	int board_idx, ecode = 0;
 	short i;
 	unsigned char cache_size;
+	u8 addr[ETH_ALEN];
 
 	ap = netdev_priv(dev);
 	regs = ap->regs;
@@ -988,12 +989,13 @@ static int ace_init(struct net_device *dev)
 	writel(mac1, &regs->MacAddrHi);
 	writel(mac2, &regs->MacAddrLo);
 
-	dev->dev_addr[0] = (mac1 >> 8) & 0xff;
-	dev->dev_addr[1] = mac1 & 0xff;
-	dev->dev_addr[2] = (mac2 >> 24) & 0xff;
-	dev->dev_addr[3] = (mac2 >> 16) & 0xff;
-	dev->dev_addr[4] = (mac2 >> 8) & 0xff;
-	dev->dev_addr[5] = mac2 & 0xff;
+	addr[0] = (mac1 >> 8) & 0xff;
+	addr[1] = mac1 & 0xff;
+	addr[2] = (mac2 >> 24) & 0xff;
+	addr[3] = (mac2 >> 16) & 0xff;
+	addr[4] = (mac2 >> 8) & 0xff;
+	addr[5] = mac2 & 0xff;
+	eth_hw_addr_set(dev, addr);
 
 	printk("MAC: %pM\n", dev->dev_addr);