diff --git a/drivers/mtd/nand/raw/gpio.c b/drivers/mtd/nand/raw/gpio.c
index fb7a086de35e..fdf073d2e1b6 100644
--- a/drivers/mtd/nand/raw/gpio.c
+++ b/drivers/mtd/nand/raw/gpio.c
@@ -163,9 +163,8 @@ static int gpio_nand_exec_op(struct nand_chip *chip,
 
 static int gpio_nand_attach_chip(struct nand_chip *chip)
 {
-	chip->ecc.engine_type = NAND_ECC_ENGINE_TYPE_SOFT;
-
-	if (chip->ecc.algo == NAND_ECC_ALGO_UNKNOWN)
+	if (chip->ecc.engine_type == NAND_ECC_ENGINE_TYPE_SOFT &&
+	    chip->ecc.algo == NAND_ECC_ALGO_UNKNOWN)
 		chip->ecc.algo = NAND_ECC_ALGO_HAMMING;
 
 	return 0;
@@ -365,6 +364,13 @@ static int gpio_nand_probe(struct platform_device *pdev)
 	if (gpiomtd->nwp && !IS_ERR(gpiomtd->nwp))
 		gpiod_direction_output(gpiomtd->nwp, 1);
 
+	/*
+	 * This driver assumes that the default ECC engine should be TYPE_SOFT.
+	 * Set ->engine_type before registering the NAND devices in order to
+	 * provide a driver specific default value.
+	 */
+	chip->ecc.engine_type = NAND_ECC_ENGINE_TYPE_SOFT;
+
 	ret = nand_scan(chip, 1);
 	if (ret)
 		goto err_wp;