diff --git a/board/gdsys/405ep/iocon.c b/board/gdsys/405ep/iocon.c
index 664b1e1..7a98e41 100644
--- a/board/gdsys/405ep/iocon.c
+++ b/board/gdsys/405ep/iocon.c
@@ -99,7 +99,6 @@
 struct ihs_fpga *fpga_ptr[] = CONFIG_SYS_FPGA_PTR;
 
 static int setup_88e1518(const char *bus, unsigned char addr);
-static int verify_88e1518(const char *bus, unsigned char addr);
 
 int fpga_set_reg(u32 fpga, u16 *reg, off_t regoff, u16 data)
 {
@@ -405,11 +404,7 @@
 			if ((mux_ch == 1) && !ch0_rgmii2_present)
 				continue;
 
-			if (!verify_88e1518(bb_miiphy_buses[0].name, mux_ch)) {
-				printf("Fixup 88e1518 erratum on %s phy %u\n",
-				       bb_miiphy_buses[0].name, mux_ch);
-				setup_88e1518(bb_miiphy_buses[0].name, mux_ch);
-			}
+			setup_88e1518(bb_miiphy_buses[0].name, mux_ch);
 		}
 	}
 
@@ -434,11 +429,7 @@
 		if (feature_carrier_speed == CARRIER_SPEED_1G) {
 			miiphy_register(bb_miiphy_buses[k].name,
 					bb_miiphy_read, bb_miiphy_write);
-			if (!verify_88e1518(bb_miiphy_buses[k].name, 0)) {
-				printf("Fixup 88e1518 erratum on %s\n",
-				       bb_miiphy_buses[k].name);
-				setup_88e1518(bb_miiphy_buses[k].name, 0);
-			}
+			setup_88e1518(bb_miiphy_buses[k].name, 0);
 		}
 	}
 
@@ -652,56 +643,189 @@
 int bb_miiphy_buses_num = sizeof(bb_miiphy_buses) /
 			  sizeof(bb_miiphy_buses[0]);
 
-/*
- * Workaround for erratum mentioned in 88E1518 release notes
- */
+enum {
+	MIICMD_SET,
+	MIICMD_MODIFY,
+	MIICMD_VERIFY_VALUE,
+	MIICMD_WAIT_FOR_VALUE,
+};
 
-static int verify_88e1518(const char *bus, unsigned char addr)
-{
-	u16 phy_id1, phy_id2;
-
-	if (miiphy_read(bus, addr, 2, &phy_id1) ||
-	    miiphy_read(bus, addr, 3, &phy_id2)) {
-		printf("Error reading from the PHY addr=%02x\n", addr);
-		return -EIO;
-	}
-
-	if ((phy_id1 != 0x0141) || ((phy_id2 & 0xfff0) != 0x0dd0))
-		return -EINVAL;
-
-	return 0;
-}
-
-struct regfix_88e1518 {
+struct mii_setupcmd {
+	u8 token;
 	u8 reg;
 	u16 data;
-} regfix_88e1518[] = {
-	{ 22, 0x00ff },
-	{ 17, 0x214b },
-	{ 16, 0x2144 },
-	{ 17, 0x0c28 },
-	{ 16, 0x2146 },
-	{ 17, 0xb233 },
-	{ 16, 0x214d },
-	{ 17, 0xcc0c },
-	{ 16, 0x2159 },
-	{ 22, 0x00fb },
-	{  7, 0xc00d },
-	{ 22, 0x0000 },
+	u16 mask;
+	u32 timeout;
 };
 
+/*
+ * verify we are talking to a 88e1518
+ */
+struct mii_setupcmd verify_88e1518[] = {
+	{ MIICMD_SET, 22, 0x0000 },
+	{ MIICMD_VERIFY_VALUE, 2, 0x0141, 0xffff },
+	{ MIICMD_VERIFY_VALUE, 3, 0x0dd0, 0xfff0 },
+};
+
+/*
+ * workaround for erratum mentioned in 88E1518 release notes
+ */
+struct mii_setupcmd fixup_88e1518[] = {
+	{ MIICMD_SET, 22, 0x00ff },
+	{ MIICMD_SET, 17, 0x214b },
+	{ MIICMD_SET, 16, 0x2144 },
+	{ MIICMD_SET, 17, 0x0c28 },
+	{ MIICMD_SET, 16, 0x2146 },
+	{ MIICMD_SET, 17, 0xb233 },
+	{ MIICMD_SET, 16, 0x214d },
+	{ MIICMD_SET, 17, 0xcc0c },
+	{ MIICMD_SET, 16, 0x2159 },
+	{ MIICMD_SET, 22, 0x00fb },
+	{ MIICMD_SET,  7, 0xc00d },
+	{ MIICMD_SET, 22, 0x0000 },
+};
+
+/*
+ * default initialization:
+ * - set RGMII receive timing to "receive clock transition when data stable"
+ * - set RGMII transmit timing to "transmit clock internally delayed"
+ * - set RGMII output impedance target to 78,8 Ohm
+ * - run output impedance calibration
+ * - set autonegotiation advertise to 1000FD only
+ */
+struct mii_setupcmd default_88e1518[] = {
+	{ MIICMD_SET, 22, 0x0002 },
+	{ MIICMD_MODIFY, 21, 0x0030, 0x0030 },
+	{ MIICMD_MODIFY, 25, 0x0000, 0x0003 },
+	{ MIICMD_MODIFY, 24, 0x8000, 0x8000 },
+	{ MIICMD_WAIT_FOR_VALUE, 24, 0x4000, 0x4000, 2000 },
+	{ MIICMD_SET, 22, 0x0000 },
+	{ MIICMD_MODIFY, 4, 0x0000, 0x01e0 },
+	{ MIICMD_MODIFY, 9, 0x0200, 0x0300 },
+};
+
+/*
+ * turn off CLK125 for PHY daughterboard
+ */
+struct mii_setupcmd ch1fix_88e1518[] = {
+	{ MIICMD_SET, 22, 0x0002 },
+	{ MIICMD_MODIFY, 16, 0x0006, 0x0006 },
+	{ MIICMD_SET, 22, 0x0000 },
+};
+
+/*
+ * perform copper software reset
+ */
+struct mii_setupcmd swreset_88e1518[] = {
+	{ MIICMD_SET, 22, 0x0000 },
+	{ MIICMD_MODIFY, 0, 0x8000, 0x8000 },
+	{ MIICMD_WAIT_FOR_VALUE, 0, 0x0000, 0x8000, 2000 },
+};
+
+static int process_setupcmd(const char *bus, unsigned char addr,
+			    struct mii_setupcmd *setupcmd)
+{
+	int res;
+	u8 reg = setupcmd->reg;
+	u16 data = setupcmd->data;
+	u16 mask = setupcmd->mask;
+	u32 timeout = setupcmd->timeout;
+	u16 orig_data;
+	unsigned long start;
+
+	debug("mii %s:%u reg %2u ", bus, addr, reg);
+
+	switch (setupcmd->token) {
+	case MIICMD_MODIFY:
+		res = miiphy_read(bus, addr, reg, &orig_data);
+		if (res)
+			break;
+		debug("is %04x. (value %04x mask %04x) ", orig_data, data,
+		      mask);
+		data = (orig_data & ~mask) | (data & mask);
+	case MIICMD_SET:
+		debug("=> %04x\n", data);
+		res = miiphy_write(bus, addr, reg, data);
+		break;
+	case MIICMD_VERIFY_VALUE:
+		res = miiphy_read(bus, addr, reg, &orig_data);
+		if (res)
+			break;
+		if ((orig_data & mask) != (data & mask))
+			res = -1;
+		debug("(value %04x mask %04x) == %04x? %s\n", data, mask,
+		      orig_data, res ? "FAIL" : "PASS");
+		break;
+	case MIICMD_WAIT_FOR_VALUE:
+		res = -1;
+		start = get_timer(0);
+		while ((res != 0) && (get_timer(start) < timeout)) {
+			res = miiphy_read(bus, addr, reg, &orig_data);
+			if (res)
+				continue;
+			if ((orig_data & mask) != (data & mask))
+				res = -1;
+		}
+		debug("(value %04x mask %04x) == %04x? %s after %lu ms\n", data,
+		      mask, orig_data, res ? "FAIL" : "PASS",
+		      get_timer(start));
+		break;
+	default:
+		res = -1;
+		break;
+	}
+
+	return res;
+}
+
+static int process_setup(const char *bus, unsigned char addr,
+			    struct mii_setupcmd *setupcmd, unsigned int count)
+{
+	int res = 0;
+	unsigned int k;
+
+	for (k = 0; k < count; ++k) {
+		res = process_setupcmd(bus, addr, &setupcmd[k]);
+		if (res) {
+			printf("mii cmd %u on bus %s addr %u failed, aborting setup",
+			       setupcmd[k].token, bus, addr);
+			break;
+		}
+	}
+
+	return res;
+}
+
 static int setup_88e1518(const char *bus, unsigned char addr)
 {
-	unsigned int k;
+	int res;
 
-	for (k = 0; k < ARRAY_SIZE(regfix_88e1518); ++k) {
-		if (miiphy_write(bus, addr,
-				 regfix_88e1518[k].reg,
-				 regfix_88e1518[k].data)) {
-			printf("Error writing to the PHY addr=%02x\n", addr);
-			return -1;
-		}
+	res = process_setup(bus, addr,
+			    verify_88e1518, ARRAY_SIZE(verify_88e1518));
+	if (res)
+		return res;
+
+	res = process_setup(bus, addr,
+			    fixup_88e1518, ARRAY_SIZE(fixup_88e1518));
+	if (res)
+		return res;
+
+	res = process_setup(bus, addr,
+			    default_88e1518, ARRAY_SIZE(default_88e1518));
+	if (res)
+		return res;
+
+	if (addr) {
+		res = process_setup(bus, addr,
+				    ch1fix_88e1518, ARRAY_SIZE(ch1fix_88e1518));
+		if (res)
+			return res;
 	}
 
+	res = process_setup(bus, addr,
+			    swreset_88e1518, ARRAY_SIZE(swreset_88e1518));
+	if (res)
+		return res;
+
 	return 0;
 }