diff --git a/cpu/ixp/npe/npe.c b/cpu/ixp/npe/npe.c
index 7e4af4410..a33b95697 100644
--- a/cpu/ixp/npe/npe.c
+++ b/cpu/ixp/npe/npe.c
@@ -408,25 +408,25 @@ static int npe_init(struct eth_device *dev, bd_t * bis)
 	if (ixEthAccPortRxCallbackRegister(p_npe->eth_id, npe_rx_callback,
 					   (u32)p_npe) != IX_ETH_ACC_SUCCESS) {
 		printf("can't register RX callback!\n");
-		return 0;
+		return -1;
 	}
 
 	if (ixEthAccPortTxDoneCallbackRegister(p_npe->eth_id, npe_tx_callback,
 					       (u32)p_npe) != IX_ETH_ACC_SUCCESS) {
 		printf("can't register TX callback!\n");
-		return 0;
+		return -1;
 	}
 
 	npe_set_mac_address(dev);
 
 	if (ixEthAccPortEnable(p_npe->eth_id) != IX_ETH_ACC_SUCCESS) {
 		printf("can't enable port!\n");
-		return 0;
+		return -1;
 	}
 
 	p_npe->active = 1;
 
-	return 1;
+	return 0;
 }
 
 #if 0 /* test-only: probably have to deal with it when booting linux (for a clean state) */
diff --git a/cpu/mpc8xx/fec.c b/cpu/mpc8xx/fec.c
index da473ca0b..5a314137d 100644
--- a/cpu/mpc8xx/fec.c
+++ b/cpu/mpc8xx/fec.c
@@ -727,7 +727,7 @@ static int fec_init (struct eth_device *dev, bd_t * bd)
 
 		if (efis->actual_phy_addr == -1) {
 			printf ("Unable to discover phy!\n");
-			return 0;
+			return -1;
 		}
 #else
 		efis->actual_phy_addr = -1;
@@ -763,7 +763,7 @@ static int fec_init (struct eth_device *dev, bd_t * bd)
 
 	efis->initialized = 1;
 
-	return 1;
+	return 0;
 }
 
 
diff --git a/drivers/net/dc2114x.c b/drivers/net/dc2114x.c
index d5275dceb..723892261 100644
--- a/drivers/net/dc2114x.c
+++ b/drivers/net/dc2114x.c
@@ -332,7 +332,7 @@ static int dc21x4x_init(struct eth_device* dev, bd_t* bis)
 
 	if ((INL(dev, DE4X5_STS) & (STS_TS | STS_RS)) != 0) {
 		printf("Error: Cannot reset ethernet controller.\n");
-		return 0;
+		return -1;
 	}
 
 #ifdef CONFIG_TULIP_SELECT_MEDIA
@@ -382,7 +382,7 @@ static int dc21x4x_init(struct eth_device* dev, bd_t* bis)
 
 	send_setup_frame(dev, bis);
 
-	return 1;
+	return 0;
 }
 
 static int dc21x4x_send(struct eth_device* dev, volatile void *packet, int length)
diff --git a/drivers/net/eepro100.c b/drivers/net/eepro100.c
index 738146e66..96ed2710c 100644
--- a/drivers/net/eepro100.c
+++ b/drivers/net/eepro100.c
@@ -485,7 +485,7 @@ int eepro100_initialize (bd_t * bis)
 
 static int eepro100_init (struct eth_device *dev, bd_t * bis)
 {
-	int i, status = 0;
+	int i, status = -1;
 	int tx_cur;
 	struct descriptor *ias_cmd, *cfg_cmd;
 
@@ -598,7 +598,7 @@ static int eepro100_init (struct eth_device *dev, bd_t * bis)
 		goto Done;
 	}
 
-	status = 1;
+	status = 0;
 
   Done:
 	return status;
diff --git a/drivers/net/macb.c b/drivers/net/macb.c
index 95cdc496c..6657d2292 100644
--- a/drivers/net/macb.c
+++ b/drivers/net/macb.c
@@ -423,12 +423,12 @@ static int macb_init(struct eth_device *netdev, bd_t *bd)
 #endif
 
 	if (!macb_phy_init(macb))
-		return 0;
+		return -1;
 
 	/* Enable TX and RX */
 	macb_writel(macb, NCR, MACB_BIT(TE) | MACB_BIT(RE));
 
-	return 1;
+	return 0;
 }
 
 static void macb_halt(struct eth_device *netdev)
diff --git a/drivers/net/pcnet.c b/drivers/net/pcnet.c
index 2af0e8f24..4e270c9f7 100644
--- a/drivers/net/pcnet.c
+++ b/drivers/net/pcnet.c
@@ -402,7 +402,7 @@ static int pcnet_init(struct eth_device* dev, bd_t *bis)
     if (i <= 0) {
 	printf("%s: TIMEOUT: controller init failed\n", dev->name);
 	pcnet_reset (dev);
-	return 0;
+	return -1;
     }
 
     /*
@@ -410,7 +410,7 @@ static int pcnet_init(struct eth_device* dev, bd_t *bis)
      */
     pcnet_write_csr (dev, 0, 0x0002);
 
-    return 1;
+    return 0;
 }
 
 static int pcnet_send(struct eth_device* dev, volatile void *packet, int pkt_len)
diff --git a/drivers/net/rtl8139.c b/drivers/net/rtl8139.c
index 236718005..4c248054c 100644
--- a/drivers/net/rtl8139.c
+++ b/drivers/net/rtl8139.c
@@ -273,10 +273,10 @@ static int rtl8139_probe(struct eth_device *dev, bd_t *bis)
 
 	if (inb(ioaddr + MediaStatus) & MSRLinkFail) {
 		printf("Cable not connected or other link failure\n");
-		return(0);
+		return -1 ;
 	}
 
-	return 1;
+	return 0;
 }
 
 /* Serial EEPROM section. */
diff --git a/drivers/net/rtl8169.c b/drivers/net/rtl8169.c
index 1d7f31cea..57ccbd964 100644
--- a/drivers/net/rtl8169.c
+++ b/drivers/net/rtl8169.c
@@ -624,7 +624,7 @@ static void rtl8169_init_ring(struct eth_device *dev)
 /**************************************************************************
 RESET - Finish setting up the ethernet interface
 ***************************************************************************/
-static void rtl_reset(struct eth_device *dev, bd_t *bis)
+static int rtl_reset(struct eth_device *dev, bd_t *bis)
 {
 	int i;
 
@@ -660,6 +660,7 @@ static void rtl_reset(struct eth_device *dev, bd_t *bis)
 #ifdef DEBUG_RTL8169
 	printf ("%s elapsed time : %d\n", __FUNCTION__, currticks()-stime);
 #endif
+	return 0;
 }
 
 /**************************************************************************
diff --git a/drivers/net/tsec.c b/drivers/net/tsec.c
index 108cebd87..25392f686 100644
--- a/drivers/net/tsec.c
+++ b/drivers/net/tsec.c
@@ -232,7 +232,7 @@ int tsec_init(struct eth_device *dev, bd_t * bd)
 	startup_tsec(dev);
 
 	/* If there's no link, fail */
-	return priv->link;
+	return (priv->link ? 0 : -1);
 
 }
 
diff --git a/drivers/net/tsi108_eth.c b/drivers/net/tsi108_eth.c
index 524e9daa4..a09115e6d 100644
--- a/drivers/net/tsi108_eth.c
+++ b/drivers/net/tsi108_eth.c
@@ -792,7 +792,7 @@ static int tsi108_eth_probe (struct eth_device *dev, bd_t * bis)
 	    (dev->enetaddr[0] << 16);
 
 	if (marvell_88e_phy_config(dev, &speed, &duplex) == 0)
-		return 0;
+		return -1;
 
 	value =
 	    MAC_CONFIG_2_PREAMBLE_LENGTH(7) | MAC_CONFIG_2_PAD_CRC |
@@ -864,7 +864,7 @@ static int tsi108_eth_probe (struct eth_device *dev, bd_t * bis)
 	/* enable TX queue */
 	reg_TX_CONTROL(base) = TX_CONTROL_GO | 0x01;
 
-	return 1;
+	return 0;
 }
 
 /*
diff --git a/drivers/net/uli526x.c b/drivers/net/uli526x.c
index 1267c5798..8460f6928 100644
--- a/drivers/net/uli526x.c
+++ b/drivers/net/uli526x.c
@@ -279,12 +279,12 @@ static int uli526x_init_one(struct eth_device *dev, bd_t *bis)
 	db->desc_pool_ptr = (uchar *)&desc_pool_array[0];
 	db->desc_pool_dma_ptr = (dma_addr_t)&desc_pool_array[0];
 	if (db->desc_pool_ptr == NULL)
-		return 0;
+		return -1;
 
 	db->buf_pool_ptr = &buf_pool[0];
 	db->buf_pool_dma_ptr = (dma_addr_t)&buf_pool[0];
 	if (db->buf_pool_ptr == NULL)
-		return 0;
+		return -1;
 
 	db->first_tx_desc = (struct tx_desc *) db->desc_pool_ptr;
 	db->first_tx_desc_dma = db->desc_pool_dma_ptr;
@@ -331,7 +331,7 @@ static int uli526x_init_one(struct eth_device *dev, bd_t *bis)
 	db->cr6_data |= ULI526X_TXTH_256;
 	db->cr0_data = CR0_DEFAULT;
 	uli526x_init(dev);
-	return 1;
+	return 0;
 }
 
 static void uli526x_disable(struct eth_device *dev)
diff --git a/drivers/qe/uec.c b/drivers/qe/uec.c
index a27c12aa2..44cbea578 100644
--- a/drivers/qe/uec.c
+++ b/drivers/qe/uec.c
@@ -1129,7 +1129,7 @@ static int uec_init(struct eth_device* dev, bd_t *bd)
 		if (dev->enetaddr[0] & 0x01) {
 			printf("%s: MacAddress is multcast address\n",
 				 __FUNCTION__);
-			return 0;
+			return -1;
 		}
 		uec_set_mac_address(uec, dev->enetaddr);
 		uec->the_first_run = 1;
@@ -1138,10 +1138,10 @@ static int uec_init(struct eth_device* dev, bd_t *bd)
 	err = uec_open(uec, COMM_DIR_RX_AND_TX);
 	if (err) {
 		printf("%s: cannot enable UEC device\n", dev->name);
-		return 0;
+		return -1;
 	}
 
-	return uec->mii_info->link;
+	return (uec->mii_info->link ? 0 : -1);
 }
 
 static void uec_halt(struct eth_device* dev)
diff --git a/net/eth.c b/net/eth.c
index d2fced8bb..5d9e9c188 100644
--- a/net/eth.c
+++ b/net/eth.c
@@ -433,7 +433,7 @@ int eth_init(bd_t *bis)
 	do {
 		debug ("Trying %s\n", eth_current->name);
 
-		if (!eth_current->init(eth_current,bis)) {
+		if (eth_current->init(eth_current,bis) >= 0) {
 			eth_current->state = ETH_STATE_ACTIVE;
 
 			return 0;