diff --git a/drivers/net/wireless/rt2x00/rt2800usb.c b/drivers/net/wireless/rt2x00/rt2800usb.c
index a49c3d73ea2c..11583ca3facb 100644
--- a/drivers/net/wireless/rt2x00/rt2800usb.c
+++ b/drivers/net/wireless/rt2x00/rt2800usb.c
@@ -229,6 +229,27 @@ static enum hrtimer_restart rt2800usb_tx_sta_fifo_timeout(struct hrtimer *timer)
 /*
  * Firmware functions
  */
+static int rt2800usb_autorun_detect(struct rt2x00_dev *rt2x00dev)
+{
+	__le32 reg;
+	u32 fw_mode;
+
+	/* cannot use rt2x00usb_register_read here as it uses different
+	 * mode (MULTI_READ vs. DEVICE_MODE) and does not pass the
+	 * magic value USB_MODE_AUTORUN (0x11) to the device, thus the
+	 * returned value would be invalid.
+	 */
+	rt2x00usb_vendor_request(rt2x00dev, USB_DEVICE_MODE,
+				 USB_VENDOR_REQUEST_IN, 0, USB_MODE_AUTORUN,
+				 &reg, sizeof(reg), REGISTER_TIMEOUT_FIRMWARE);
+	fw_mode = le32_to_cpu(reg);
+
+	if ((fw_mode & 0x00000003) == 2)
+		return 1;
+
+	return 0;
+}
+
 static char *rt2800usb_get_firmware_name(struct rt2x00_dev *rt2x00dev)
 {
 	return FIRMWARE_RT2870;
@@ -735,11 +756,18 @@ static void rt2800usb_fill_rxdone(struct queue_entry *entry,
 /*
  * Device probe functions.
  */
+static int rt2800usb_efuse_detect(struct rt2x00_dev *rt2x00dev)
+{
+	if (rt2800usb_autorun_detect(rt2x00dev))
+		return 1;
+	return rt2800_efuse_detect(rt2x00dev);
+}
+
 static int rt2800usb_read_eeprom(struct rt2x00_dev *rt2x00dev)
 {
 	int retval;
 
-	if (rt2800_efuse_detect(rt2x00dev))
+	if (rt2800usb_efuse_detect(rt2x00dev))
 		retval = rt2800_read_eeprom_efuse(rt2x00dev);
 	else
 		retval = rt2x00usb_eeprom_read(rt2x00dev, rt2x00dev->eeprom,
diff --git a/drivers/net/wireless/rt2x00/rt2x00usb.h b/drivers/net/wireless/rt2x00/rt2x00usb.h
index e7bcf62347d5..831b65f93feb 100644
--- a/drivers/net/wireless/rt2x00/rt2x00usb.h
+++ b/drivers/net/wireless/rt2x00/rt2x00usb.h
@@ -93,6 +93,7 @@ enum rt2x00usb_mode_offset {
 	USB_MODE_SLEEP = 7,	/* RT73USB */
 	USB_MODE_FIRMWARE = 8,	/* RT73USB */
 	USB_MODE_WAKEUP = 9,	/* RT73USB */
+	USB_MODE_AUTORUN = 17, /* RT2800USB */
 };
 
 /**