diff --git a/target/linux/ar71xx/files/arch/mips/ath79/dev-eth.c b/target/linux/ar71xx/files/arch/mips/ath79/dev-eth.c
index 17dd3ac6b1..7d641d4f09 100644
--- a/target/linux/ar71xx/files/arch/mips/ath79/dev-eth.c
+++ b/target/linux/ar71xx/files/arch/mips/ath79/dev-eth.c
@@ -907,6 +907,7 @@ void __init ath79_register_eth(unsigned int id)
 			pdata->speed = SPEED_1000;
 			pdata->duplex = DUPLEX_FULL;
 			pdata->switch_data = &ath79_switch_data;
+			pdata->builtin_switch = 1;
 
 			ath79_switch_data.phy_poll_mask |= BIT(4);
 		}
@@ -951,6 +952,7 @@ void __init ath79_register_eth(unsigned int id)
 			pdata->has_gbit = 1;
 			pdata->duplex = DUPLEX_FULL;
 			pdata->switch_data = &ath79_switch_data;
+			pdata->builtin_switch = 1;
 
 			ath79_switch_data.phy_poll_mask |= BIT(4);
 		}
@@ -979,6 +981,7 @@ void __init ath79_register_eth(unsigned int id)
 			pdata->set_speed = ath79_set_speed_dummy;
 
 			pdata->switch_data = &ath79_switch_data;
+			pdata->builtin_switch = 1;
 
 			/* reset the built-in switch */
 			ath79_device_reset_set(AR934X_RESET_ETH_SWITCH);
@@ -1015,6 +1018,7 @@ void __init ath79_register_eth(unsigned int id)
 			pdata->speed = SPEED_1000;
 			pdata->duplex = DUPLEX_FULL;
 			pdata->switch_data = &ath79_switch_data;
+			pdata->builtin_switch = 1;
 
 			ath79_switch_data.phy_poll_mask |= BIT(4);
 		}
@@ -1040,6 +1044,7 @@ void __init ath79_register_eth(unsigned int id)
 			pdata->reset_bit = QCA955X_RESET_GE1_MAC |
 					   QCA955X_RESET_GE1_MDIO;
 			pdata->set_speed = qca955x_set_speed_sgmii;
+			pdata->builtin_switch = 1;
 		}
 
 		pdata->has_gbit = 1;
@@ -1083,6 +1088,7 @@ void __init ath79_register_eth(unsigned int id)
 
 			pdata->speed = SPEED_1000;
 			pdata->duplex = DUPLEX_FULL;
+			pdata->builtin_switch = 1;
 
 			/* reset the built-in switch */
 			ath79_device_reset_set(AR934X_RESET_ETH_SWITCH);
diff --git a/target/linux/ar71xx/files/arch/mips/include/asm/mach-ath79/ag71xx_platform.h b/target/linux/ar71xx/files/arch/mips/include/asm/mach-ath79/ag71xx_platform.h
index d46dc4e317..e494cdfc0f 100644
--- a/target/linux/ar71xx/files/arch/mips/include/asm/mach-ath79/ag71xx_platform.h
+++ b/target/linux/ar71xx/files/arch/mips/include/asm/mach-ath79/ag71xx_platform.h
@@ -36,6 +36,7 @@ struct ag71xx_platform_data {
 	u8		is_ar7240:1;
 	u8		is_ar724x:1;
 	u8		has_ar8216:1;
+	u8		builtin_switch:1;
 
 	struct ag71xx_switch_platform_data *switch_data;
 
diff --git a/target/linux/ar71xx/files/drivers/net/ethernet/atheros/ag71xx/ag71xx_main.c b/target/linux/ar71xx/files/drivers/net/ethernet/atheros/ag71xx/ag71xx_main.c
index 38226cf22e..d7c27393a6 100644
--- a/target/linux/ar71xx/files/drivers/net/ethernet/atheros/ag71xx/ag71xx_main.c
+++ b/target/linux/ar71xx/files/drivers/net/ethernet/atheros/ag71xx/ag71xx_main.c
@@ -453,9 +453,12 @@ static void ag71xx_hw_stop(struct ag71xx *ag)
 static void ag71xx_hw_setup(struct ag71xx *ag)
 {
 	struct ag71xx_platform_data *pdata = ag71xx_get_pdata(ag);
+	u32 init = MAC_CFG1_INIT;
 
 	/* setup MAC configuration registers */
-	ag71xx_wr(ag, AG71XX_REG_MAC_CFG1, MAC_CFG1_INIT);
+	if (pdata->builtin_switch)
+		init |= MAC_CFG1_TFC | MAC_CFG1_RFC;
+	ag71xx_wr(ag, AG71XX_REG_MAC_CFG1, init);
 
 	ag71xx_sb(ag, AG71XX_REG_MAC_CFG2,
 		  MAC_CFG2_PAD_CRC_EN | MAC_CFG2_LEN_CHECK);