diff --git a/drivers/mtd/nand/raw/plat_nand.c b/drivers/mtd/nand/raw/plat_nand.c
index c1b2072cb50731..7e0d0a8dfd1ef5 100644
--- a/drivers/mtd/nand/raw/plat_nand.c
+++ b/drivers/mtd/nand/raw/plat_nand.c
@@ -21,9 +21,8 @@ struct plat_nand_data {
 
 static int plat_nand_attach_chip(struct nand_chip *chip)
 {
-	chip->ecc.engine_type = NAND_ECC_ENGINE_TYPE_SOFT;
-
-	if (chip->ecc.algo == NAND_ECC_ALGO_UNKNOWN)
+	if (chip->ecc.engine_type == NAND_ECC_ENGINE_TYPE_SOFT &&
+	    chip->ecc.algo == NAND_ECC_ALGO_UNKNOWN)
 		chip->ecc.algo = NAND_ECC_ALGO_HAMMING;
 
 	return 0;
@@ -92,6 +91,13 @@ static int plat_nand_probe(struct platform_device *pdev)
 			goto out;
 	}
 
+	/*
+	 * This driver assumes that the default ECC engine should be TYPE_SOFT.
+	 * Set ->engine_type before registering the NAND devices in order to
+	 * provide a driver specific default value.
+	 */
+	data->chip.ecc.engine_type = NAND_ECC_ENGINE_TYPE_SOFT;
+
 	/* Scan to find existence of the device */
 	err = nand_scan(&data->chip, pdata->chip.nr_chips);
 	if (err)