diff --git a/target/linux/rb532/files/arch/mips/rb500/prom.c b/target/linux/rb532/files/arch/mips/rb500/prom.c
index 1978b0f17c..e6ac24344e 100644
--- a/target/linux/rb532/files/arch/mips/rb500/prom.c
+++ b/target/linux/rb532/files/arch/mips/rb500/prom.c
@@ -42,7 +42,7 @@ extern void __init setup_serial_port(void);
 
 unsigned int idt_cpu_freq = 132000000;
 EXPORT_SYMBOL(idt_cpu_freq);
-unsigned int board_type = 500;
+char *board_type;
 EXPORT_SYMBOL(board_type);
 unsigned int gpio_bootup_state = 0;
 EXPORT_SYMBOL(gpio_bootup_state);
@@ -136,7 +136,7 @@ void __init prom_setup_cmdline(void){
 #endif
 		if (i>0) *(cp++) = ' ';
 		if (strncmp(prom_argv[i], BOARD_TAG, sizeof(BOARD_TAG) - 1) == 0) {
-			board_type =  simple_strtoul(prom_argv[i] + sizeof(BOARD_TAG) - 1, 0, 10);
+			strcpy(board_type, prom_argv[i] + sizeof(BOARD_TAG) -1);
 		}
 		if (strncmp(prom_argv[i], GPIO_TAG, sizeof(GPIO_TAG) - 1) == 0) {
 			gpio_bootup_state =  simple_strtoul(prom_argv[i] + sizeof(GPIO_TAG) - 1, 0, 10);
diff --git a/target/linux/rb532/files/drivers/mtd/nand/rbmipsnand.c b/target/linux/rb532/files/drivers/mtd/nand/rbmipsnand.c
index 35febc6652..1db33a252f 100644
--- a/target/linux/rb532/files/drivers/mtd/nand/rbmipsnand.c
+++ b/target/linux/rb532/files/drivers/mtd/nand/rbmipsnand.c
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@
 
 #define MEM32(x) *((volatile unsigned *) (x))
 
-extern unsigned int board_type;
+extern char *board_type;
 
 struct rb500_nand_info {
         struct nand_chip chip;
@@ -125,7 +125,7 @@ static int rbmips_probe(struct platform_device *pdev)
 		return -EIO;
         }
 
-	if (board_type > 500) {
+	if (!strcmp(board_type, "500r5")) {
 		data->flags1 = LO_FOFF | LO_CEX;
 		data->flags2 = LO_ULED | LO_ALE | LO_CLE | LO_WPX;
 	}