diff --git a/drivers/crypto/ixp4xx_crypto.c b/drivers/crypto/ixp4xx_crypto.c
index af9761ccf9f..9224c1f4931 100644
--- a/drivers/crypto/ixp4xx_crypto.c
+++ b/drivers/crypto/ixp4xx_crypto.c
@@ -415,6 +415,7 @@ static void crypto_done_action(unsigned long arg)
 static int init_ixp_crypto(void)
 {
 	int ret = -ENODEV;
+	u32 msg[2] = { 0, 0 };
 
 	if (! ( ~(*IXP4XX_EXP_CFG2) & (IXP4XX_FEATURE_HASH |
 				IXP4XX_FEATURE_AES | IXP4XX_FEATURE_DES))) {
@@ -426,9 +427,35 @@ static int init_ixp_crypto(void)
 		return ret;
 
 	if (!npe_running(npe_c)) {
-		npe_load_firmware(npe_c, npe_name(npe_c), dev);
+		ret = npe_load_firmware(npe_c, npe_name(npe_c), dev);
+		if (ret) {
+			return ret;
+		}
+		if (npe_recv_message(npe_c, msg, "STATUS_MSG"))
+			goto npe_error;
+	} else {
+		if (npe_send_message(npe_c, msg, "STATUS_MSG"))
+			goto npe_error;
+
+		if (npe_recv_message(npe_c, msg, "STATUS_MSG"))
+			goto npe_error;
 	}
 
+	switch ((msg[1]>>16) & 0xff) {
+	case 3:
+		printk(KERN_WARNING "Firmware of %s lacks AES support\n",
+				npe_name(npe_c));
+		support_aes = 0;
+		break;
+	case 4:
+	case 5:
+		support_aes = 1;
+		break;
+	default:
+		printk(KERN_ERR "Firmware of %s lacks crypto support\n",
+			npe_name(npe_c));
+		return -ENODEV;
+	}
 	/* buffer_pool will also be used to sometimes store the hmac,
 	 * so assure it is large enough
 	 */
@@ -459,6 +486,10 @@ static int init_ixp_crypto(void)
 
 	qmgr_enable_irq(RECV_QID);
 	return 0;
+
+npe_error:
+	printk(KERN_ERR "%s not responding\n", npe_name(npe_c));
+	ret = -EIO;
 err:
 	if (ctx_pool)
 		dma_pool_destroy(ctx_pool);