diff --git a/common/cmd_eeprom.c b/common/cmd_eeprom.c
index e598bf1ec..f749087eb 100644
--- a/common/cmd_eeprom.c
+++ b/common/cmd_eeprom.c
@@ -401,10 +401,6 @@ eeprom_probe (unsigned dev_addr, unsigned offset)
 #define	CONFIG_SYS_I2C_SPEED	50000
 #endif
 
-#ifndef	CONFIG_SYS_I2C_SLAVE
-#define	CONFIG_SYS_I2C_SLAVE	0xFE
-#endif
-
 void eeprom_init  (void)
 {
 #if defined(CONFIG_SPI)
diff --git a/cpu/mpc8260/i2c.c b/cpu/mpc8260/i2c.c
index 35cf8f143..2b954b48f 100644
--- a/cpu/mpc8260/i2c.c
+++ b/cpu/mpc8260/i2c.c
@@ -58,9 +58,6 @@ static unsigned int i2c_bus_num __attribute__ ((section (".data"))) = 0;
 #define	CONFIG_SYS_I2C_SPEED	50000
 #endif
 
-#ifndef	CONFIG_SYS_I2C_SLAVE
-#define	CONFIG_SYS_I2C_SLAVE	0xFE
-#endif
 /*-----------------------------------------------------------------------
  */
 
diff --git a/cpu/ppc4xx/40x_spd_sdram.c b/cpu/ppc4xx/40x_spd_sdram.c
index 57861b359..75bd70dc6 100644
--- a/cpu/ppc4xx/40x_spd_sdram.c
+++ b/cpu/ppc4xx/40x_spd_sdram.c
@@ -56,10 +56,6 @@
 #define CONFIG_SYS_I2C_SPEED	50000
 #endif
 
-#ifndef CONFIG_SYS_I2C_SLAVE
-#define CONFIG_SYS_I2C_SLAVE	0xFE
-#endif
-
 #define ONE_BILLION	1000000000
 
 #define	 SDRAM0_CFG_DCE		0x80000000
diff --git a/cpu/ppc4xx/44x_spd_ddr.c b/cpu/ppc4xx/44x_spd_ddr.c
index 153391e59..f26fcdaa1 100644
--- a/cpu/ppc4xx/44x_spd_ddr.c
+++ b/cpu/ppc4xx/44x_spd_ddr.c
@@ -66,10 +66,6 @@
 #define CONFIG_SYS_I2C_SPEED	50000
 #endif
 
-#ifndef CONFIG_SYS_I2C_SLAVE
-#define CONFIG_SYS_I2C_SLAVE	0xFE
-#endif
-
 #define ONE_BILLION	1000000000
 
 /*
diff --git a/include/i2c.h b/include/i2c.h
index f8a59a669..668e754e2 100644
--- a/include/i2c.h
+++ b/include/i2c.h
@@ -78,16 +78,22 @@
 #endif
 
 #ifdef CONFIG_8xx
-/* Set default values for the I2C bus speed and slave address on 8xx. In the
+/* Set default value for the I2C bus speed on 8xx. In the
  * future, we'll define these in all 8xx board config files.
  */
 #ifndef	CONFIG_SYS_I2C_SPEED
 #define	CONFIG_SYS_I2C_SPEED	50000
 #endif
-
-#ifndef	CONFIG_SYS_I2C_SLAVE
-#define	CONFIG_SYS_I2C_SLAVE	0xFE
 #endif
+
+/*
+ * Many boards/controllers/drivers don't support an I2C slave interface so
+ * provide a default slave address for them for use in common code.  A real
+ * value for CONFIG_SYS_I2C_SLAVE should be defined for any board which does
+ * support a slave interface.
+ */
+#ifndef	CONFIG_SYS_I2C_SLAVE
+#define	CONFIG_SYS_I2C_SLAVE	0xfe
 #endif
 
 /*