diff --git a/hw/net/tulip.c b/hw/net/tulip.c
index d5b6cc5ee6..097e905bec 100644
--- a/hw/net/tulip.c
+++ b/hw/net/tulip.c
@@ -967,6 +967,8 @@ static void pci_tulip_realize(PCIDevice *pci_dev, Error **errp)
     pci_conf = s->dev.config;
     pci_conf[PCI_INTERRUPT_PIN] = 1; /* interrupt pin A */
 
+    qemu_macaddr_default_if_unset(&s->c.macaddr);
+
     s->eeprom = eeprom93xx_new(&pci_dev->qdev, 64);
     tulip_fill_eeprom(s);
 
@@ -981,8 +983,6 @@ static void pci_tulip_realize(PCIDevice *pci_dev, Error **errp)
 
     s->irq = pci_allocate_irq(&s->dev);
 
-    qemu_macaddr_default_if_unset(&s->c.macaddr);
-
     s->nic = qemu_new_nic(&net_tulip_info, &s->c,
                           object_get_typename(OBJECT(pci_dev)),
                           pci_dev->qdev.id, s);