diff --git a/drivers/mtd/nand/denali.c b/drivers/mtd/nand/denali.c
index 417a8950cf49..16634df2e39a 100644
--- a/drivers/mtd/nand/denali.c
+++ b/drivers/mtd/nand/denali.c
@@ -419,17 +419,12 @@ static void find_valid_banks(struct denali_nand_info *denali)
 static void detect_max_banks(struct denali_nand_info *denali)
 {
 	uint32_t features = ioread32(denali->flash_reg + FEATURES);
-	/*
-	 * Read the revision register, so we can calculate the max_banks
-	 * properly: the encoding changed from rev 5.0 to 5.1
-	 */
-	u32 revision = MAKE_COMPARABLE_REVISION(
-				ioread32(denali->flash_reg + REVISION));
 
-	if (revision < REVISION_5_1)
-		denali->max_banks = 2 << (features & FEATURES__N_BANKS);
-	else
-		denali->max_banks = 1 << (features & FEATURES__N_BANKS);
+	denali->max_banks = 1 << (features & FEATURES__N_BANKS);
+
+	/* the encoding changed from rev 5.0 to 5.1 */
+	if (denali->revision < 0x0501)
+		denali->max_banks <<= 1;
 }
 
 static uint16_t denali_nand_timing_set(struct denali_nand_info *denali)
@@ -1319,6 +1314,14 @@ static void denali_cmdfunc(struct mtd_info *mtd, unsigned int cmd, int col,
 /* Initialization code to bring the device up to a known good state */
 static void denali_hw_init(struct denali_nand_info *denali)
 {
+	/*
+	 * The REVISION register may not be reliable.  Platforms are allowed to
+	 * override it.
+	 */
+	if (!denali->revision)
+		denali->revision =
+				swab16(ioread32(denali->flash_reg + REVISION));
+
 	/*
 	 * tell driver how many bit controller will skip before
 	 * writing ECC code in OOB, this register may be already
diff --git a/drivers/mtd/nand/denali.h b/drivers/mtd/nand/denali.h
index 1f413d05a010..ec004850652a 100644
--- a/drivers/mtd/nand/denali.h
+++ b/drivers/mtd/nand/denali.h
@@ -179,8 +179,6 @@
 
 #define REVISION				0x370
 #define     REVISION__VALUE				0xffff
-#define MAKE_COMPARABLE_REVISION(x)		swab16((x) & REVISION__VALUE)
-#define REVISION_5_1				0x00000501
 
 #define ONFI_DEVICE_FEATURES			0x380
 #define     ONFI_DEVICE_FEATURES__VALUE			0x003f
@@ -343,6 +341,7 @@ struct denali_nand_info {
 	int devnum;	/* represent how many nands connected */
 	int bbtskipbytes;
 	int max_banks;
+	unsigned int revision;
 	unsigned int caps;
 };
 
diff --git a/drivers/mtd/nand/denali_dt.c b/drivers/mtd/nand/denali_dt.c
index ada38636122c..df9ef36cc2ce 100644
--- a/drivers/mtd/nand/denali_dt.c
+++ b/drivers/mtd/nand/denali_dt.c
@@ -30,6 +30,7 @@ struct denali_dt {
 };
 
 struct denali_dt_data {
+	unsigned int revision;
 	unsigned int caps;
 };
 
@@ -60,8 +61,10 @@ static int denali_dt_probe(struct platform_device *pdev)
 	denali = &dt->denali;
 
 	data = of_device_get_match_data(&pdev->dev);
-	if (data)
+	if (data) {
+		denali->revision = data->revision;
 		denali->caps = data->caps;
+	}
 
 	denali->platform = DT;
 	denali->dev = &pdev->dev;