diff --git a/arch/arm/cpu/armv7/sunxi/board.c b/arch/arm/cpu/armv7/sunxi/board.c
index e80785ba56..7653148c67 100644
--- a/arch/arm/cpu/armv7/sunxi/board.c
+++ b/arch/arm/cpu/armv7/sunxi/board.c
@@ -152,6 +152,7 @@ void s_init(void)
 	timer_init();
 	gpio_init();
 	i2c_init_board();
+	eth_init_board();
 }
 
 #ifdef CONFIG_SPL_BUILD
@@ -259,30 +260,3 @@ void enable_caches(void)
 	dcache_enable();
 }
 #endif
-
-#ifdef CONFIG_CMD_NET
-/*
- * Initializes on-chip ethernet controllers.
- * to override, implement board_eth_init()
- */
-int cpu_eth_init(bd_t *bis)
-{
-	__maybe_unused int rc;
-
-#ifdef CONFIG_MACPWR
-	gpio_request(CONFIG_MACPWR, "macpwr");
-	gpio_direction_output(CONFIG_MACPWR, 1);
-	mdelay(200);
-#endif
-
-#ifdef CONFIG_SUNXI_GMAC
-	rc = sunxi_gmac_initialize(bis);
-	if (rc < 0) {
-		printf("sunxi: failed to initialize gmac\n");
-		return rc;
-	}
-#endif
-
-	return 0;
-}
-#endif
diff --git a/arch/arm/include/asm/arch-sunxi/sys_proto.h b/arch/arm/include/asm/arch-sunxi/sys_proto.h
index 9df3744521..a373319a2b 100644
--- a/arch/arm/include/asm/arch-sunxi/sys_proto.h
+++ b/arch/arm/include/asm/arch-sunxi/sys_proto.h
@@ -24,6 +24,10 @@ void sdelay(unsigned long);
 void return_to_fel(uint32_t lr, uint32_t sp);
 
 /* Board / SoC level designware gmac init */
-int sunxi_gmac_initialize(bd_t *bis);
+#if !defined CONFIG_SPL_BUILD && defined CONFIG_SUNXI_GMAC
+void eth_init_board(void);
+#else
+static inline void eth_init_board(void) {}
+#endif
 
 #endif
diff --git a/board/sunxi/board.c b/board/sunxi/board.c
index 80eae9cd48..e16718f308 100644
--- a/board/sunxi/board.c
+++ b/board/sunxi/board.c
@@ -90,6 +90,11 @@ int board_init(void)
 	if (ret)
 		return ret;
 
+#ifdef CONFIG_MACPWR
+	gpio_request(CONFIG_MACPWR, "macpwr");
+	gpio_direction_output(CONFIG_MACPWR, 1);
+#endif
+
 	/* Uses dm gpio code so do this here and not in i2c_init_board() */
 	return soft_i2c_board_init();
 }
diff --git a/board/sunxi/gmac.c b/board/sunxi/gmac.c
index 4e222d88c0..69eb8ff2d9 100644
--- a/board/sunxi/gmac.c
+++ b/board/sunxi/gmac.c
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@
 #include <asm/arch/clock.h>
 #include <asm/arch/gpio.h>
 
-int sunxi_gmac_initialize(bd_t *bis)
+void eth_init_board(void)
 {
 	int pin;
 	struct sunxi_ccm_reg *const ccm =
@@ -79,16 +79,4 @@ int sunxi_gmac_initialize(bd_t *bis)
 	for (pin = SUNXI_GPA(26); pin <= SUNXI_GPA(27); pin++)
 		sunxi_gpio_set_cfgpin(pin, SUN6I_GPA_GMAC);
 #endif
-
-#ifdef CONFIG_DM_ETH
-	return 0;
-#else
-# ifdef CONFIG_RGMII
-	return designware_initialize(SUNXI_GMAC_BASE, PHY_INTERFACE_MODE_RGMII);
-# elif defined CONFIG_GMII
-	return designware_initialize(SUNXI_GMAC_BASE, PHY_INTERFACE_MODE_GMII);
-# else
-	return designware_initialize(SUNXI_GMAC_BASE, PHY_INTERFACE_MODE_MII);
-# endif
-#endif
 }