diff --git a/drivers/net/fec_mxc.c b/drivers/net/fec_mxc.c
index 9764e1212..ad073077c 100644
--- a/drivers/net/fec_mxc.c
+++ b/drivers/net/fec_mxc.c
@@ -55,6 +55,8 @@ struct fec_priv gfec = {
 	.tbd_base  = NULL,
 	.tbd_index = 0,
 	.bd        = NULL,
+	.rdb_ptr   = NULL,
+	.base_ptr  = NULL,
 };
 
 /*
@@ -230,7 +232,8 @@ static int fec_rbd_init(struct fec_priv *fec, int count, int size)
 	uint32_t p = 0;
 
 	/* reserve data memory and consider alignment */
-	fec->rdb_ptr = malloc(size * count + DB_DATA_ALIGNMENT);
+	if (fec->rdb_ptr == NULL)
+		fec->rdb_ptr = malloc(size * count + DB_DATA_ALIGNMENT);
 	p = (uint32_t)fec->rdb_ptr;
 	if (!p) {
 		puts("fec_imx27: not enough malloc memory!\n");
@@ -365,8 +368,9 @@ static int fec_init(struct eth_device *dev, bd_t* bd)
 	 * Datasheet forces the startaddress of each chain is 16 byte
 	 * aligned
 	 */
-	fec->base_ptr = malloc((2 + FEC_RBD_NUM) *
-			sizeof(struct fec_bd) + DB_ALIGNMENT);
+	if (fec->base_ptr == NULL)
+		fec->base_ptr = malloc((2 + FEC_RBD_NUM) *
+				sizeof(struct fec_bd) + DB_ALIGNMENT);
 	base = (uint32_t)fec->base_ptr;
 	if (!base) {
 		puts("fec_imx27: not enough malloc memory!\n");
@@ -493,8 +497,6 @@ static void fec_halt(struct eth_device *dev)
 	writel(0, &fec->eth->ecntrl);
 	fec->rbd_index = 0;
 	fec->tbd_index = 0;
-	free(fec->rdb_ptr);
-	free(fec->base_ptr);
 	debug("eth_halt: done\n");
 }