diff --git a/drivers/net/netxen/netxen_nic_init.c b/drivers/net/netxen/netxen_nic_init.c
index 485b947932a1630a4f9329e60014fc863ad0d81f..8926b0e0c8bcf811e3faf1219f4f178faf2a507a 100644
--- a/drivers/net/netxen/netxen_nic_init.c
+++ b/drivers/net/netxen/netxen_nic_init.c
@@ -727,21 +727,28 @@ netxen_load_firmware(struct netxen_adapter *adapter)
 			flashaddr += 8;
 		}
 	} else {
-		u32 data;
+		u64 data;
+		u32 hi, lo;
 
-		size = (NETXEN_IMAGE_START - NETXEN_BOOTLD_START) / 4;
+		size = (NETXEN_IMAGE_START - NETXEN_BOOTLD_START) / 8;
 		flashaddr = NETXEN_BOOTLD_START;
 
 		for (i = 0; i < size; i++) {
 			if (netxen_rom_fast_read(adapter,
-					flashaddr, (int *)&data) != 0)
+					flashaddr, &lo) != 0)
+				return -EIO;
+			if (netxen_rom_fast_read(adapter,
+					flashaddr + 4, &hi) != 0)
 				return -EIO;
 
+			/* hi, lo are already in host endian byteorder */
+			data = (((u64)hi << 32) | lo);
+
 			if (adapter->pci_mem_write(adapter,
-						flashaddr, &data, 4))
+						flashaddr, &data, 8))
 				return -EIO;
 
-			flashaddr += 4;
+			flashaddr += 8;
 		}
 	}
 	msleep(1);