diff --git a/sys/mips/atheros/ar71xx_macaddr.c b/sys/mips/atheros/ar71xx_macaddr.c
index f2f802333812..5b85820c3ba0 100644
--- a/sys/mips/atheros/ar71xx_macaddr.c
+++ b/sys/mips/atheros/ar71xx_macaddr.c
@@ -93,18 +93,9 @@ ar71xx_mac_addr_init(unsigned char *dst, const unsigned char *src,
  * Returns 0 on success, -1 on error.
  */
 int
-ar71xx_mac_addr_random_init(unsigned char *dst)
+ar71xx_mac_addr_random_init(struct ifnet *ifp, struct ether_addr *dst)
 {
-	uint32_t rnd;
-
-	rnd = arc4random();
-
-	dst[0] = 'b';
-	dst[1] = 's';
-	dst[2] = 'd';
-	dst[3] = (rnd >> 24) & 0xff;
-	dst[4] = (rnd >> 16) & 0xff;
-	dst[5] = (rnd >> 8) & 0xff;
 
+	ether_gen_addr(ifp, dst);
 	return (0);
 }
diff --git a/sys/mips/atheros/ar71xx_macaddr.h b/sys/mips/atheros/ar71xx_macaddr.h
index 2022c64c0f15..9f9ede84ca44 100644
--- a/sys/mips/atheros/ar71xx_macaddr.h
+++ b/sys/mips/atheros/ar71xx_macaddr.h
@@ -34,6 +34,6 @@ extern	uint8_t ar71xx_board_mac_addr[ETHER_ADDR_LEN];
 
 extern	int ar71xx_mac_addr_init(unsigned char *dst, const unsigned char *src,
 	    int offset, int is_local);
-extern	int ar71xx_mac_addr_random_init(unsigned char *dst);
+extern	int ar71xx_mac_addr_random_init(struct ifnet *ifp, struct ether_addr *dst);
 
 #endif /* __ATHEROS_AR71XX_MACADDR_H__ */
diff --git a/sys/mips/atheros/if_arge.c b/sys/mips/atheros/if_arge.c
index 2cc698f7f347..945c40b6c48f 100644
--- a/sys/mips/atheros/if_arge.c
+++ b/sys/mips/atheros/if_arge.c
@@ -876,7 +876,11 @@ arge_attach(device_t dev)
 		if  (bootverbose)
 			device_printf(dev,
 			    "Generating random ethernet address.\n");
-		(void) ar71xx_mac_addr_random_init(sc->arge_eaddr);
+		if (ar71xx_mac_addr_random_init(ifp, (void *) sc->arge_eaddr) < 0) {
+			device_printf(dev, "Failed to choose random MAC address\n");
+			error = EINVAL;
+			goto fail;
+		}
 	}
 
 	if (arge_dma_alloc(sc) != 0) {