Index: linux-2.6.24-armeb/arch/arm/mach-ixp4xx/ixp4xx_npe.c
===================================================================
--- linux-2.6.24-armeb.orig/arch/arm/mach-ixp4xx/ixp4xx_npe.c	2008-02-14 22:30:53.000000000 +1030
+++ linux-2.6.24-armeb/arch/arm/mach-ixp4xx/ixp4xx_npe.c	2008-02-14 23:50:25.000000000 +1030
@@ -510,6 +510,7 @@
 int npe_load_firmware(struct npe *npe, const char *name, struct device *dev)
 {
 	const struct firmware *fw_entry;
+	struct eth_plat_info *plat = dev->platform_data;
 
 	struct dl_block {
 		u32 type;
@@ -535,8 +536,14 @@
 	int i, j, err, data_size, instr_size, blocks, table_end;
 	u32 cmd;
 
-	if ((err = request_firmware(&fw_entry, name, dev)) != 0)
-		return err;
+	/* Check if the board code supplies the firmware ... */
+	if (plat->fwrequest) {
+		if ((err = plat->fwrequest(&fw_entry, name, dev)) != 0)
+			return err;
+	} else {
+		if ((err = request_firmware(&fw_entry, name, dev)) != 0)
+			return err;
+	}
 
 	err = -EINVAL;
 	if (fw_entry->size < sizeof(struct dl_image)) {
@@ -656,7 +663,11 @@
 	npe_start(npe);
 	if (!npe_running(npe))
 		print_npe(KERN_ERR, npe, "unable to start\n");
-	release_firmware(fw_entry);
+	if (plat->fwrelease) {
+		plat->fwrelease(fw_entry);
+	} else {
+		release_firmware(fw_entry);
+	}
 	return 0;
 
 too_big:
@@ -665,7 +676,11 @@
 		  blk->type == FW_BLOCK_TYPE_INSTR ? 'I' : 'D',
 		  cb->npe_addr, cb->size);
 err:
-	release_firmware(fw_entry);
+	if (plat->fwrelease) {
+		plat->fwrelease(fw_entry);
+	} else {
+		release_firmware(fw_entry);
+	}
 	return err;
 }
 
Index: linux-2.6.24-armeb/include/asm-arm/arch-ixp4xx/platform.h
===================================================================
--- linux-2.6.24-armeb.orig/include/asm-arm/arch-ixp4xx/platform.h	2008-02-14 22:31:11.000000000 +1030
+++ linux-2.6.24-armeb/include/asm-arm/arch-ixp4xx/platform.h	2008-02-14 23:46:56.000000000 +1030
@@ -107,11 +107,15 @@
 #define IXP4XX_ETH_NPEC		0x20
 
 /* Information about built-in Ethernet MAC interfaces */
+struct firmware;
+struct device;
 struct eth_plat_info {
 	u8 phy;		/* MII PHY ID, 0 - 31 */
 	u8 rxq;		/* configurable, currently 0 - 31 only */
 	u8 txreadyq;
 	u8 hwaddr[6];
+	int (*fwrequest)(const struct firmware **fw, const char *name, struct device *device);
+	void (*fwrelease)(const struct firmware *fw);
 };
 
 /* Information about built-in HSS (synchronous serial) interfaces */
Index: linux-2.6.24-armeb/arch/arm/mach-ixp4xx/nslu2-setup.c
===================================================================
--- linux-2.6.24-armeb.orig/arch/arm/mach-ixp4xx/nslu2-setup.c	2008-02-14 22:56:23.000000000 +1030
+++ linux-2.6.24-armeb/arch/arm/mach-ixp4xx/nslu2-setup.c	2008-02-15 10:20:31.000000000 +1030
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@
  *
  */
 
+#include <linux/firmware.h>
 #include <linux/if_ether.h>
 #include <linux/irq.h>
 #include <linux/serial.h>
@@ -151,11 +152,24 @@
 };
 
 /* Built-in 10/100 Ethernet MAC interfaces */
+
+static int nslu2_fwrequest(const struct firmware **fw, const char *name, struct device *device) {
+	printk(KERN_DEBUG "Calling request_firmare for %s\n", name);
+	return request_firmware(fw, name, device);
+}
+
+static void nslu2_fwrelease(const struct firmware *fw) {
+	printk(KERN_DEBUG "Calling release_firmare\n");
+	release_firmware(fw);
+}
+
 static struct eth_plat_info nslu2_plat_eth[] = {
 	{
 		.phy		= 1,
 		.rxq		= 3,
 		.txreadyq	= 20,
+		.fwrequest	= nslu2_fwrequest,
+		.fwrelease	= nslu2_fwrelease,
 	}
 };