diff --git a/drivers/net/b44.c b/drivers/net/b44.c
index ecc2e32..f1675dc 100644
--- a/drivers/net/b44.c
+++ b/drivers/net/b44.c
@@ -1392,7 +1392,6 @@
 
 	b44_init_rings(bp);
 	b44_init_hw(bp);
-	bp->flags |= B44_FLAG_INIT_COMPLETE;
 
 	netif_carrier_off(dev);
 	b44_check_phy(bp);
@@ -1456,7 +1455,6 @@
 #endif
 	b44_halt(bp);
 	b44_free_rings(bp);
-	bp->flags &= ~B44_FLAG_INIT_COMPLETE;
 	netif_carrier_off(bp->dev);
 
 	spin_unlock_irq(&bp->lock);
@@ -1608,7 +1606,7 @@
 {
 	struct b44 *bp = netdev_priv(dev);
 
-	if (!(bp->flags & B44_FLAG_INIT_COMPLETE))
+	if (!netif_running(dev))
 		return -EAGAIN;
 	cmd->supported = (SUPPORTED_Autoneg);
 	cmd->supported |= (SUPPORTED_100baseT_Half |
@@ -1646,7 +1644,7 @@
 {
 	struct b44 *bp = netdev_priv(dev);
 
-	if (!(bp->flags & B44_FLAG_INIT_COMPLETE))
+	if (!netif_running(dev))
 		return -EAGAIN;
 
 	/* We do not support gigabit. */