diff --git a/drivers/net/tg3.c b/drivers/net/tg3.c
index d443b7372325..eafca2a0dd00 100644
--- a/drivers/net/tg3.c
+++ b/drivers/net/tg3.c
@@ -4662,6 +4662,35 @@ static void tg3_write_sig_legacy(struct tg3 *tp, int kind)
 	}
 }
 
+static int tg3_poll_fw(struct tg3 *tp)
+{
+	int i;
+	u32 val;
+
+	/* Wait for firmware initialization to complete. */
+	for (i = 0; i < 100000; i++) {
+		tg3_read_mem(tp, NIC_SRAM_FIRMWARE_MBOX, &val);
+		if (val == ~NIC_SRAM_FIRMWARE_MBOX_MAGIC1)
+			break;
+		udelay(10);
+	}
+
+	/* Chip might not be fitted with firmware.  Some Sun onboard
+	 * parts are configured like that.  So don't signal the timeout
+	 * of the above loop as an error, but do report the lack of
+	 * running firmware once.
+	 */
+	if (i >= 100000 &&
+	    !(tp->tg3_flags2 & TG3_FLG2_NO_FWARE_REPORTED)) {
+		tp->tg3_flags2 |= TG3_FLG2_NO_FWARE_REPORTED;
+
+		printk(KERN_INFO PFX "%s: No firmware running.\n",
+		       tp->dev->name);
+	}
+
+	return 0;
+}
+
 static void tg3_stop_fw(struct tg3 *);
 
 /* tp->lock is held. */
@@ -4669,7 +4698,7 @@ static int tg3_chip_reset(struct tg3 *tp)
 {
 	u32 val;
 	void (*write_op)(struct tg3 *, u32, u32);
-	int i;
+	int err;
 
 	tg3_nvram_lock(tp);
 
@@ -4829,26 +4858,9 @@ static int tg3_chip_reset(struct tg3 *tp)
 		tw32_f(MAC_MODE, 0);
 	udelay(40);
 
-	/* Wait for firmware initialization to complete. */
-	for (i = 0; i < 100000; i++) {
-		tg3_read_mem(tp, NIC_SRAM_FIRMWARE_MBOX, &val);
-		if (val == ~NIC_SRAM_FIRMWARE_MBOX_MAGIC1)
-			break;
-		udelay(10);
-	}
-
-	/* Chip might not be fitted with firmare.  Some Sun onboard
-	 * parts are configured like that.  So don't signal the timeout
-	 * of the above loop as an error, but do report the lack of
-	 * running firmware once.
-	 */
-	if (i >= 100000 &&
-	    !(tp->tg3_flags2 & TG3_FLG2_NO_FWARE_REPORTED)) {
-		tp->tg3_flags2 |= TG3_FLG2_NO_FWARE_REPORTED;
-
-		printk(KERN_INFO PFX "%s: No firmware running.\n",
-		       tp->dev->name);
-	}
+	err = tg3_poll_fw(tp);
+	if (err)
+		return err;
 
 	if ((tp->tg3_flags2 & TG3_FLG2_PCI_EXPRESS) &&
 	    tp->pci_chip_rev_id != CHIPREV_ID_5750_A0) {