diff --git a/package/base-files/Makefile b/package/base-files/Makefile
index 3ba30c3abc7..f0b2e37d5b0 100644
--- a/package/base-files/Makefile
+++ b/package/base-files/Makefile
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ include $(INCLUDE_DIR)/kernel.mk
 include $(INCLUDE_DIR)/version.mk
 
 PKG_NAME:=base-files
-PKG_RELEASE:=146
+PKG_RELEASE:=147
 
 PKG_FILE_DEPENDS:=$(PLATFORM_DIR)/ $(GENERIC_PLATFORM_DIR)/base-files/
 PKG_BUILD_DEPENDS:=opkg/host
diff --git a/package/base-files/files/lib/functions.sh b/package/base-files/files/lib/functions.sh
index 19cfbae172a..6cb6df92fd6 100755
--- a/package/base-files/files/lib/functions.sh
+++ b/package/base-files/files/lib/functions.sh
@@ -248,17 +248,16 @@ mtd_get_mac_ascii()
 	local part
 	local mac_dirty
 
-	. /lib/functions.sh
-
 	part=$(find_mtd_part "$mtdname")
 	if [ -z "$part" ]; then
 		echo "mtd_get_mac_ascii: partition $mtdname not found!" >&2
 		return
 	fi
 
-	mac_dirty=$(strings "$part" | sed -n 's/'"$key"'=//p')
+	mac_dirty=$(strings "$part" | sed -n 's/^'"$key"'=//p')
+
 	# "canonicalize" mac
-	printf "%02x:%02x:%02x:%02x:%02x:%02x" 0x${mac_dirty//:/ 0x}
+	[ -n "$mac_dirty" ] && echo ${mac_dirty} | tr [A-F] [a-f]
 }
 
 mtd_get_mac_binary() {