diff --git a/sys/dev/etherswitch/arswitch/arswitch_reg.c b/sys/dev/etherswitch/arswitch/arswitch_reg.c
index 3eb0600fdc3e..3251da8a2eec 100644
--- a/sys/dev/etherswitch/arswitch/arswitch_reg.c
+++ b/sys/dev/etherswitch/arswitch/arswitch_reg.c
@@ -172,10 +172,21 @@ arswitch_readreg(device_t dev, int addr)
 int
 arswitch_writereg(device_t dev, int addr, int value)
 {
+	struct arswitch_softc *sc;
+	int r;
+
+	sc = device_get_softc(dev);
 
 	/* XXX Check the first write too? */
-	arswitch_writereg_msb(dev, addr, value);
-	return (arswitch_writereg_lsb(dev, addr, value));
+	if (sc->mii_lo_first) {
+		r = arswitch_writereg_lsb(dev, addr, value);
+		r |= arswitch_writereg_msb(dev, addr, value);
+	} else {
+		r = arswitch_writereg_msb(dev, addr, value);
+		r |= arswitch_writereg_lsb(dev, addr, value);
+	}
+
+	return r;
 }
 
 int
diff --git a/sys/dev/etherswitch/arswitch/arswitchvar.h b/sys/dev/etherswitch/arswitch/arswitchvar.h
index 91d755aa4926..10a942d861cb 100644
--- a/sys/dev/etherswitch/arswitch/arswitchvar.h
+++ b/sys/dev/etherswitch/arswitch/arswitchvar.h
@@ -53,6 +53,7 @@ struct arswitch_softc {
 	int		is_mii;		/* PHY mode is MII (XXX which PHY?) */
 	int		page;
 	int		is_internal_switch;
+	int		mii_lo_first;
 	ar8x16_switch_type	sc_switchtype;
 	char		*ifname[AR8X16_NUM_PHYS];
 	device_t	miibus[AR8X16_NUM_PHYS];