diff --git a/drivers/net/spider_net.c b/drivers/net/spider_net.c
index c99980a14203..f5ede5f6073c 100644
--- a/drivers/net/spider_net.c
+++ b/drivers/net/spider_net.c
@@ -460,13 +460,9 @@ spider_net_prepare_rx_descr(struct spider_net_card *card,
 		hwdescr->dmac_cmd_status = SPIDER_NET_DESCR_NOT_IN_USE;
 	} else {
 		hwdescr->buf_addr = buf;
-		hwdescr->next_descr_addr = 0;
 		wmb();
 		hwdescr->dmac_cmd_status = SPIDER_NET_DESCR_CARDOWNED |
 					 SPIDER_NET_DMAC_NOINTR_COMPLETE;
-
-		wmb();
-		descr->prev->hwdescr->next_descr_addr = descr->bus_addr;
 	}
 
 	return 0;
@@ -541,12 +537,16 @@ spider_net_refill_rx_chain(struct spider_net_card *card)
 static int
 spider_net_alloc_rx_skbs(struct spider_net_card *card)
 {
-	int result;
-	struct spider_net_descr_chain *chain;
+	struct spider_net_descr_chain *chain = &card->rx_chain;
+	struct spider_net_descr *start = chain->tail;
+	struct spider_net_descr *descr = start;
 
-	result = -ENOMEM;
+	/* Link up the hardware chain pointers */
+	do {
+		descr->prev->hwdescr->next_descr_addr = descr->bus_addr;
+		descr = descr->next;
+	} while (descr != start);
 
-	chain = &card->rx_chain;
 	/* Put at least one buffer into the chain. if this fails,
 	 * we've got a problem. If not, spider_net_refill_rx_chain
 	 * will do the rest at the end of this function. */
@@ -563,7 +563,7 @@ spider_net_alloc_rx_skbs(struct spider_net_card *card)
 
 error:
 	spider_net_free_rx_chain_contents(card);
-	return result;
+	return -ENOMEM;
 }
 
 /**