diff -urNp linux-2.4.21/drivers/net/eql.c linux-2.4.21.SUSE/drivers/net/eql.c
--- linux-2.4.21/drivers/net/eql.c	2001-09-30 21:26:06.000000000 +0200
+++ linux-2.4.21.SUSE/drivers/net/eql.c	2004-06-21 16:34:59.998625779 +0200
@@ -491,6 +491,8 @@ static int eql_g_slave_cfg(struct net_de
 #endif
 	eql = (equalizer_t *) dev->priv;
 	slave_dev = __dev_get_by_name (sc.slave_name);
+	if (!slave_dev)
+		return -EINVAL;
 
 	if ( eql_is_slave (slave_dev) )
 	{
@@ -522,9 +524,10 @@ static int eql_s_slave_cfg(struct net_de
 		printk ("%s: set config for slave `%s'\n", dev->name, sc.slave_name);
 #endif
   
-
 	eql = (equalizer_t *) dev->priv;
 	slave_dev = __dev_get_by_name (sc.slave_name);
+	if (!slave_dev)
+		return -EINVAL;
 
 	if ( eql_is_slave (slave_dev) )
 	{