memcpy(netdev->dev_addr, nic->eeprom, ETH_ALEN);
        memcpy(netdev->perm_addr, nic->eeprom, ETH_ALEN);
-       if(!is_valid_ether_addr(netdev->perm_addr)) {
-               DPRINTK(PROBE, ERR, "Invalid MAC address from "
-                       "EEPROM, aborting.\n");
-               err = -EAGAIN;
-               goto err_out_free;
+       if (!is_valid_ether_addr(netdev->perm_addr)) {
+               if (!eeprom_bad_csum_allow) {
+                       DPRINTK(PROBE, ERR, "Invalid MAC address from "
+                               "EEPROM, aborting.\n");
+                       err = -EAGAIN;
+                       goto err_out_free;
+               } else {
+                       DPRINTK(PROBE, ERR, "Invalid MAC address from EEPROM, "
+                               "you MUST configure one.\n");
+               }
        }
 
        /* Wol magic packet can be enabled from eeprom */