diff --git a/script/init.d/ethercat b/script/init.d/ethercat
index 26710160376b1e451a177802f8803efec18d713e..3a26aed73b0f6ffdccddf240132be2753fab6ebd 100755
--- a/script/init.d/ethercat
+++ b/script/init.d/ethercat
@@ -49,7 +49,6 @@
 
 #------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
-CDEV='EtherCAT'
 MODPROBE=/sbin/modprobe
 RMMOD=/sbin/rmmod
 MODINFO=/sbin/modinfo
@@ -173,7 +172,6 @@ start)
 
         MASTER_INDEX=$(expr ${MASTER_INDEX} + 1)
     done
-    MASTER_INDICES=`seq 0 $((${MASTER_INDEX} - 1))`
 
     # load master module
     if ! ${MODPROBE} ${MODPROBE_FLAGS} ec_master \
@@ -181,22 +179,6 @@ start)
         exit_fail
     fi
 
-    # remove stale device nodes
-    rm -f /dev/${CDEV}*
-
-    # get dynamic major number
-    MAJOR=$(awk "\$2==\"EtherCAT\" {print \$1}" /proc/devices)
-    if [ -z "${MAJOR}" ]; then
-        echo "Failed to get device major number!"
-        ${RMMOD} ec_master
-        exit_fail
-    fi
-
-    # create character devices
-    for i in ${MASTER_INDICES}; do
-        mknod /dev/${CDEV}${i} c ${MAJOR} ${i}
-    done
-
     # check for modules to replace
     for MODULE in ${DEVICE_MODULES}; do
         ECMODULE=ec_${MODULE}
@@ -231,9 +213,6 @@ stop)
         fi;
     done
 
-    # remove device nodes
-    rm -f /dev/${CDEV}*
-
     sleep 1
 
     # reload previous modules