diff --git a/board/bf526-ezbrd/bf526-ezbrd.c b/board/bf526-ezbrd/bf526-ezbrd.c
index 52d82cd..4695b11 100644
--- a/board/bf526-ezbrd/bf526-ezbrd.c
+++ b/board/bf526-ezbrd/bf526-ezbrd.c
@@ -27,21 +27,20 @@
 #ifdef CONFIG_BFIN_MAC
 static void board_init_enetaddr(uchar *mac_addr)
 {
+#ifdef CONFIG_SYS_NO_FLASH
+# define USE_MAC_IN_FLASH 0
+#else
+# define USE_MAC_IN_FLASH 1
+#endif
 	bool valid_mac = false;
 
-	/* the MAC is stored in OTP memory page 0xDF */
-	uint32_t ret;
-	uint64_t otp_mac;
-
-	ret = bfrom_OtpRead(0xDF, OTP_LOWER_HALF, &otp_mac);
-	if (!(ret & OTP_MASTER_ERROR)) {
-		uchar *otp_mac_p = (uchar *)&otp_mac;
-
-		for (ret = 0; ret < 6; ++ret)
-			mac_addr[ret] = otp_mac_p[5 - ret];
-
-		if (is_valid_ether_addr(mac_addr))
+	if (USE_MAC_IN_FLASH) {
+		/* we cram the MAC in the last flash sector */
+		uchar *board_mac_addr = (uchar *)0x203F0096;
+		if (is_valid_ether_addr(board_mac_addr)) {
+			memcpy(mac_addr, board_mac_addr, 6);
 			valid_mac = true;
+		}
 	}
 
 	if (!valid_mac) {
@@ -66,5 +65,11 @@
 		board_init_enetaddr(enetaddr);
 #endif
 
+#ifndef CONFIG_SYS_NO_FLASH
+	/* we use the last sector for the MAC address / POST LDR */
+	extern flash_info_t flash_info[];
+	flash_protect(FLAG_PROTECT_SET, 0x203F0000, 0x203FFFFF, &flash_info[0]);
+#endif
+
 	return 0;
 }