diff --git a/board/nm/hw14/board.c b/board/nm/hw14/board.c
index c0f1c02deb..c58d8ae83c 100644
--- a/board/nm/hw14/board.c
+++ b/board/nm/hw14/board.c
@@ -208,13 +208,31 @@ static int init_console(void)
 
 int hws_board_topology_load(struct serdes_map **serdes_map_array, u8 *count)
 {
-	int i;
+	int i, j;
+	int bd_config_is_broken = 0;
 
 	if (read_eeprom() < 0){
 		/* If we do not have a board descriptor use the default
 		   serdes configuration defined in board_serdes_map */
 		puts("Could not read board descriptor using default serdes config.\n");
 	} else {
+		/* Check for broken serdes config in BD -> If multiple serdes lines are
+		   configured for the same function something is obviously broken. */
+		for (i = 0; i<ARRAY_SIZE(board_serdes_map); i++) {
+			for (j = i+1; j<ARRAY_SIZE(board_serdes_map); j++) {
+				if ((bd_get_serdes_type(i) == bd_get_serdes_type(j)) &&
+				    (bd_get_serdes_type(i) < DEFAULT_SERDES)) { // DEFAULT_SERDES & LAST_SERDES_TYPE are always ok
+						printf("Serdes lines %d and %d are configured for same function %d\n",
+							i, j, bd_get_serdes_type(i));
+						bd_config_is_broken = 1;
+				}
+			}
+		}
+
+		if (bd_config_is_broken) {
+			printf("Serdes config in BD is broken! -> Ignoring BD serdes config\n");
+		}
+
 		for (i = 0; i < ARRAY_SIZE(board_serdes_map); i++) {
 			enum serdes_type type;
 			uint8_t user_config = get_eeprom_serdes_config(i);
@@ -223,10 +241,15 @@ int hws_board_topology_load(struct serdes_map **serdes_map_array, u8 *count)
 				/* if we have a user config we use that one */
 				type = (enum serdes_type)user_config;
 			} else {
-				/* otherwise we use the config from the bd */
-				type = bd_get_serdes_type(i);
+				/* otherwise we use the config from the bd if it is not broken */
+				if (bd_config_is_broken) {
+					type = LAST_SERDES_TYPE;
+				} else {
+					type = bd_get_serdes_type(i);
+				}
 			}
 
+			/* LAST_SERDES_TYPE means use compiled in default */
 			if (type < LAST_SERDES_TYPE) {
 				if ((type >= SGMII0) && (type <= SGMII2)) {
 					board_serdes_map[i].serdes_speed = SERDES_SPEED_1_25_GBPS;
diff --git a/board/nm/hw17/board.c b/board/nm/hw17/board.c
index 78bf915518..9db7cd4781 100644
--- a/board/nm/hw17/board.c
+++ b/board/nm/hw17/board.c
@@ -225,13 +225,31 @@ static int init_console(void)
 
 int hws_board_topology_load(struct serdes_map **serdes_map_array, u8 *count)
 {
-	int i;
+	int i, j;
+	int bd_config_is_broken = 0;
 
 	if (read_eeprom() < 0){
-		/* If we do not have a board descriptor use the default 
+		/* If we do not have a board descriptor use the default
 		   serdes configuration defined in board_serdes_map */
 		puts("Could not read board descriptor using default serdes config.\n");
 	} else {
+		/* Check for broken serdes config in BD -> If multiple serdes lines are
+		   configured for the same function something is obviously broken. */
+		for (i = 0; i<ARRAY_SIZE(board_serdes_map); i++) {
+			for (j = i+1; j<ARRAY_SIZE(board_serdes_map); j++) {
+				if ((bd_get_serdes_type(i) == bd_get_serdes_type(j)) &&
+				    (bd_get_serdes_type(i) < DEFAULT_SERDES)) { // DEFAULT_SERDES & LAST_SERDES_TYPE are always ok
+						printf("Serdes lines %d and %d are configured for same function %d\n",
+							i, j, bd_get_serdes_type(i));
+						bd_config_is_broken = 1;
+				}
+			}
+		}
+
+		if (bd_config_is_broken) {
+			printf("Serdes config in BD is broken! -> Ignoring BD serdes config\n");
+		}
+
 		for (i = 0; i < ARRAY_SIZE(board_serdes_map); i++) {
 			enum serdes_type type;
 			uint8_t user_config = get_eeprom_serdes_config(i);
@@ -240,10 +258,15 @@ int hws_board_topology_load(struct serdes_map **serdes_map_array, u8 *count)
 				/* if we have a user config we use that one */
 				type = (enum serdes_type)user_config;
 			} else {
-				/* otherwise we use the config from the bd */
-				type = bd_get_serdes_type(i);
+				/* otherwise we use the config from the bd if it is not broken */
+				if (bd_config_is_broken) {
+					type = LAST_SERDES_TYPE;
+				} else {
+					type = bd_get_serdes_type(i);
+				}
 			}
 
+			/* LAST_SERDES_TYPE means use compiled in default */
 			if (type < LAST_SERDES_TYPE) {
 				if ((type >= SGMII0) && (type <= SGMII2)) {
 					board_serdes_map[i].serdes_speed = SERDES_SPEED_1_25_GBPS;
diff --git a/board/nm/hw18/board.c b/board/nm/hw18/board.c
index 136086630e..1592763b7e 100644
--- a/board/nm/hw18/board.c
+++ b/board/nm/hw18/board.c
@@ -203,13 +203,31 @@ static int init_console(void)
 
 int hws_board_topology_load(struct serdes_map **serdes_map_array, u8 *count)
 {
-	int i;
+	int i, j;
+	int bd_config_is_broken = 0;
 
 	if (read_eeprom() < 0){
 		/* If we do not have a board descriptor use the default
 		   serdes configuration defined in board_serdes_map */
 		puts("Could not read board descriptor using default serdes config.\n");
 	} else {
+		/* Check for broken serdes config in BD -> If multiple serdes lines are
+		   configured for the same function something is obviously broken. */
+		for (i = 0; i<ARRAY_SIZE(board_serdes_map); i++) {
+			for (j = i+1; j<ARRAY_SIZE(board_serdes_map); j++) {
+				if ((bd_get_serdes_type(i) == bd_get_serdes_type(j)) &&
+				    (bd_get_serdes_type(i) < DEFAULT_SERDES)) { // DEFAULT_SERDES & LAST_SERDES_TYPE are always ok
+						printf("Serdes lines %d and %d are configured for same function %d\n",
+							i, j, bd_get_serdes_type(i));
+						bd_config_is_broken = 1;
+				}
+			}
+		}
+
+		if (bd_config_is_broken) {
+			printf("Serdes config in BD is broken! -> Ignoring BD serdes config\n");
+		}
+
 		for (i = 0; i < ARRAY_SIZE(board_serdes_map); i++) {
 			enum serdes_type type;
 			uint8_t user_config = get_eeprom_serdes_config(i);
@@ -218,10 +236,15 @@ int hws_board_topology_load(struct serdes_map **serdes_map_array, u8 *count)
 				/* if we have a user config we use that one */
 				type = (enum serdes_type)user_config;
 			} else {
-				/* otherwise we use the config from the bd */
-				type = bd_get_serdes_type(i);
+				/* otherwise we use the config from the bd if it is not broken */
+				if (bd_config_is_broken) {
+					type = LAST_SERDES_TYPE;
+				} else {
+					type = bd_get_serdes_type(i);
+				}
 			}
 
+			/* LAST_SERDES_TYPE means use compiled in default */
 			if (type < LAST_SERDES_TYPE) {
 				if ((type >= SGMII0) && (type <= SGMII2)) {
 					board_serdes_map[i].serdes_speed = SERDES_SPEED_1_25_GBPS;