--- a/devices/e1000e/netdev-2.6.37-ethercat.c	Mon Oct 27 14:55:50 2014 +0100
+++ b/devices/e1000e/netdev-2.6.37-ethercat.c	Mon Oct 27 16:33:23 2014 +0100
@@ -6069,11 +6069,12 @@
 
 	adapter->ecdev = ecdev_offer(netdev, ec_poll, THIS_MODULE);
 	if (adapter->ecdev) {
-		adapter->ec_watchdog_jiffies = jiffies;
-		if (ecdev_open(adapter->ecdev)) {
+		err = ecdev_open(adapter->ecdev);
+		if (err) {
 			ecdev_withdraw(adapter->ecdev);
 			goto err_register;
 		}
+		adapter->ec_watchdog_jiffies = jiffies;
 	} else {
 		strcpy(netdev->name, "eth%d");
 		err = register_netdev(netdev);