diff --git a/board/keymile/common/common.c b/board/keymile/common/common.c
index 3d7b05661a..f941e44e83 100644
--- a/board/keymile/common/common.c
+++ b/board/keymile/common/common.c
@@ -142,6 +142,7 @@ void i2c_init_board(void)
 }
 #endif
 
+#if defined(CONFIG_KM_COMMON_ETH_INIT)
 int board_eth_init(bd_t *bis)
 {
 	if (ethernet_present())
@@ -149,6 +150,7 @@ int board_eth_init(bd_t *bis)
 
 	return -1;
 }
+#endif
 
 /*
  * do_setboardid command
diff --git a/include/configs/km/km-powerpc.h b/include/configs/km/km-powerpc.h
index 15fef24db0..2cebb2bb0c 100644
--- a/include/configs/km/km-powerpc.h
+++ b/include/configs/km/km-powerpc.h
@@ -17,6 +17,9 @@
 #define CONFIG_CMD_DTT
 #define CONFIG_JFFS2_CMDLINE
 
+/* standard km ethernet_present for piggy */
+#define CONFIG_KM_COMMON_ETH_INIT
+
 /* EEprom support 24C08, 24C16, 24C64 */
 #define CONFIG_SYS_I2C_MULTI_EEPROMS
 #define CONFIG_SYS_EEPROM_PAGE_WRITE_ENABLE
diff --git a/include/configs/km/km_arm.h b/include/configs/km/km_arm.h
index 36c2fba9e6..e74f85f604 100644
--- a/include/configs/km/km_arm.h
+++ b/include/configs/km/km_arm.h
@@ -164,6 +164,7 @@
 #define CONFIG_MVGBE_PORTS	{1, 0}	/* enable port 0 only */
 #define CONFIG_PHY_BASE_ADR	0
 #define CONFIG_ENV_OVERWRITE	/* ethaddr can be reprogrammed */
+#define CONFIG_KM_COMMON_ETH_INIT /* standard km ethernet_present for piggy */
 
 /*
  * UBI related stuff