diff --git a/common/cmd_nvedit.c b/common/cmd_nvedit.c
index 02b18ec327..68c673e7cc 100644
--- a/common/cmd_nvedit.c
+++ b/common/cmd_nvedit.c
@@ -75,7 +75,12 @@ DECLARE_GLOBAL_DATA_PTR;
 static const unsigned long baudrate_table[] = CONFIG_SYS_BAUDRATE_TABLE;
 #define	N_BAUDRATES (sizeof(baudrate_table) / sizeof(baudrate_table[0]))
 
+static int env_id = 1;
 
+int get_env_id (void)
+{
+	return env_id;
+}
 /************************************************************************
  * Command interface: print one or all environment variables
  */
@@ -160,6 +165,7 @@ int _do_setenv (int flag, int argc, char *argv[])
 		return 1;
 	}
 
+	env_id++;
 	/*
 	 * search if variable with this name already exists
 	 */
diff --git a/include/common.h b/include/common.h
index afee1889a0..b75ea60b88 100644
--- a/include/common.h
+++ b/include/common.h
@@ -269,6 +269,7 @@ void	forceenv     (char *, char *);
 #ifdef CONFIG_AUTO_COMPLETE
 int env_complete(char *var, int maxv, char *cmdv[], int maxsz, char *buf);
 #endif
+int get_env_id (void);
 
 void	pci_init      (void);
 void	pci_init_board(void);
diff --git a/net/eth.c b/net/eth.c
index ec2ef1a365..217e8853f5 100644
--- a/net/eth.c
+++ b/net/eth.c
@@ -28,6 +28,9 @@
 
 #if defined(CONFIG_CMD_NET) && defined(CONFIG_NET_MULTI)
 
+static char *act = NULL;
+static int  env_changed_id = 0;
+
 /*
  * CPU and board-specific Ethernet initializations.  Aliased function
  * signals caller to move on
@@ -461,13 +464,17 @@ void eth_try_another(int first_restart)
 #ifdef CONFIG_NET_MULTI
 void eth_set_current(void)
 {
-	char *act;
 	struct eth_device* old_current;
+	int	env_id;
 
 	if (!eth_current)	/* XXX no current */
 		return;
 
-	act = getenv("ethact");
+	env_id = get_env_id();
+	if ((act == NULL) || (env_changed_id != env_id)) {
+		act = getenv("ethact");
+		env_changed_id = env_id;
+	}
 	if (act != NULL) {
 		old_current = eth_current;
 		do {
diff --git a/net/net.c b/net/net.c
index 459baf4ea6..a55f4d33f9 100644
--- a/net/net.c
+++ b/net/net.c
@@ -209,6 +209,8 @@ uchar		NetArpWaitPacketBuf[PKTSIZE_ALIGN + PKTALIGN];
 ulong		NetArpWaitTimerStart;
 int		NetArpWaitTry;
 
+int		env_changed_id = 0;
+
 void ArpRequest (void)
 {
 	int i;
@@ -276,6 +278,78 @@ void ArpTimeoutCheck(void)
 	}
 }
 
+int
+NetInitLoop(proto_t protocol)
+{
+	bd_t *bd = gd->bd;
+	int env_id = get_env_id ();
+
+	/* update only when the environment has changed */
+	if (env_changed_id == env_id)
+		return 0;
+
+	switch (protocol) {
+#if defined(CONFIG_CMD_NFS)
+	case NFS:
+#endif
+#if defined(CONFIG_CMD_PING)
+	case PING:
+#endif
+#if defined(CONFIG_CMD_SNTP)
+	case SNTP:
+#endif
+	case NETCONS:
+	case TFTP:
+		NetCopyIP(&NetOurIP, &bd->bi_ip_addr);
+		NetOurGatewayIP = getenv_IPaddr ("gatewayip");
+		NetOurSubnetMask= getenv_IPaddr ("netmask");
+		NetOurVLAN = getenv_VLAN("vlan");
+		NetOurNativeVLAN = getenv_VLAN("nvlan");
+
+		switch (protocol) {
+#if defined(CONFIG_CMD_NFS)
+		case NFS:
+#endif
+		case NETCONS:
+		case TFTP:
+			NetServerIP = getenv_IPaddr ("serverip");
+			break;
+#if defined(CONFIG_CMD_PING)
+		case PING:
+			/* nothing */
+			break;
+#endif
+#if defined(CONFIG_CMD_SNTP)
+		case SNTP:
+			/* nothing */
+			break;
+#endif
+		default:
+			break;
+		}
+
+		break;
+	case BOOTP:
+	case RARP:
+		/*
+		 * initialize our IP addr to 0 in order to accept ANY
+		 * IP addr assigned to us by the BOOTP / RARP server
+		 */
+		NetOurIP = 0;
+		NetServerIP = getenv_IPaddr ("serverip");
+		NetOurVLAN = getenv_VLAN("vlan");	/* VLANs must be read */
+		NetOurNativeVLAN = getenv_VLAN("nvlan");
+	case CDP:
+		NetOurVLAN = getenv_VLAN("vlan");	/* VLANs must be read */
+		NetOurNativeVLAN = getenv_VLAN("nvlan");
+		break;
+	default:
+		break;
+	}
+	env_changed_id = env_id;
+	return 0;
+}
+
 /**********************************************************************/
 /*
  *	Main network processing loop.
@@ -340,65 +414,7 @@ restart:
 	 *	here on, this code is a state machine driven by received
 	 *	packets and timer events.
 	 */
-
-	switch (protocol) {
-#if defined(CONFIG_CMD_NFS)
-	case NFS:
-#endif
-#if defined(CONFIG_CMD_PING)
-	case PING:
-#endif
-#if defined(CONFIG_CMD_SNTP)
-	case SNTP:
-#endif
-	case NETCONS:
-	case TFTP:
-		NetCopyIP(&NetOurIP, &bd->bi_ip_addr);
-		NetOurGatewayIP = getenv_IPaddr ("gatewayip");
-		NetOurSubnetMask= getenv_IPaddr ("netmask");
-		NetOurVLAN = getenv_VLAN("vlan");
-		NetOurNativeVLAN = getenv_VLAN("nvlan");
-
-		switch (protocol) {
-#if defined(CONFIG_CMD_NFS)
-		case NFS:
-#endif
-		case NETCONS:
-		case TFTP:
-			NetServerIP = getenv_IPaddr ("serverip");
-			break;
-#if defined(CONFIG_CMD_PING)
-		case PING:
-			/* nothing */
-			break;
-#endif
-#if defined(CONFIG_CMD_SNTP)
-		case SNTP:
-			/* nothing */
-			break;
-#endif
-		default:
-			break;
-		}
-
-		break;
-	case BOOTP:
-	case RARP:
-		/*
-		 * initialize our IP addr to 0 in order to accept ANY
-		 * IP addr assigned to us by the BOOTP / RARP server
-		 */
-		NetOurIP = 0;
-		NetServerIP = getenv_IPaddr ("serverip");
-		NetOurVLAN = getenv_VLAN("vlan");	/* VLANs must be read */
-		NetOurNativeVLAN = getenv_VLAN("nvlan");
-	case CDP:
-		NetOurVLAN = getenv_VLAN("vlan");	/* VLANs must be read */
-		NetOurNativeVLAN = getenv_VLAN("nvlan");
-		break;
-	default:
-		break;
-	}
+	NetInitLoop(protocol);
 
 	switch (net_check_prereq (protocol)) {
 	case 1: