diff -r a7c552e1ed7f head/sys/dev/flash/mx25l.c
--- a/head/sys/dev/flash/mx25l.c        Wed Dec 05 12:37:28 2012 +0200
+++ b/head/sys/dev/flash/mx25l.c        Wed Dec 05 13:42:00 2012 +0200
@@ -231,7 +231,7 @@
        uint8_t txBuf[4];//, rxBuf[4];
        uint8_t status;
        struct spi_command cmd;
-       int err;
+       int err, timeout;

        sc = device_get_softc(dev);

@@ -246,9 +246,15 @@
        cmd.tx_cmd_sz = 1;
        err = SPIBUS_TRANSFER(device_get_parent(dev), dev, &cmd);

-       status = mx25l_get_status(dev);
-
-       if (writable && !(status & STATUS_WEL))
+       timeout = 1000;
+       while (timeout--) {
+               status = mx25l_get_status(dev);
+               if (writable && (status & STATUS_WEL))
+                       break;
+               if (!writable && !(status & STATUS_WEL))
+                       break;
+       }
+       if (timeout == 0)
                device_printf(dev, "%s - fail\n", __func__);
 }