diff --git a/drivers/mtd/nand/raw/ams-delta.c b/drivers/mtd/nand/raw/ams-delta.c
index ff1697f899ba6..13de39aa3288f 100644
--- a/drivers/mtd/nand/raw/ams-delta.c
+++ b/drivers/mtd/nand/raw/ams-delta.c
@@ -217,9 +217,8 @@ static int gpio_nand_setup_interface(struct nand_chip *this, int csline,
 
 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;
@@ -370,6 +369,13 @@ static int gpio_nand_probe(struct platform_device *pdev)
 	/* Release write protection */
 	gpiod_set_value(priv->gpiod_nwp, 0);
 
+	/*
+	 * 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.
+	 */
+	this->ecc.engine_type = NAND_ECC_ENGINE_TYPE_SOFT;
+
 	/* Scan to find existence of the device */
 	err = nand_scan(this, 1);
 	if (err)