diff --git a/drivers/base/init.c b/drivers/base/init.c
index da033d3bab3c..48c0e220acc0 100644
--- a/drivers/base/init.c
+++ b/drivers/base/init.c
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@
 #include <linux/device.h>
 #include <linux/init.h>
 #include <linux/memory.h>
+#include <linux/of.h>
 
 #include "base.h"
 
@@ -34,4 +35,5 @@ void __init driver_init(void)
 	cpu_dev_init();
 	memory_dev_init();
 	container_dev_init();
+	of_core_init();
 }
diff --git a/drivers/of/base.c b/drivers/of/base.c
index 99764db0875a..f0650265febf 100644
--- a/drivers/of/base.c
+++ b/drivers/of/base.c
@@ -189,7 +189,7 @@ int __of_attach_node_sysfs(struct device_node *np)
 	return 0;
 }
 
-static int __init of_init(void)
+void __init of_core_init(void)
 {
 	struct device_node *np;
 
@@ -198,7 +198,8 @@ static int __init of_init(void)
 	of_kset = kset_create_and_add("devicetree", NULL, firmware_kobj);
 	if (!of_kset) {
 		mutex_unlock(&of_mutex);
-		return -ENOMEM;
+		pr_err("devicetree: failed to register existing nodes\n");
+		return;
 	}
 	for_each_of_allnodes(np)
 		__of_attach_node_sysfs(np);
@@ -207,10 +208,7 @@ static int __init of_init(void)
 	/* Symlink in /proc as required by userspace ABI */
 	if (of_root)
 		proc_symlink("device-tree", NULL, "/sys/firmware/devicetree/base");
-
-	return 0;
 }
-core_initcall(of_init);
 
 static struct property *__of_find_property(const struct device_node *np,
 					   const char *name, int *lenp)
diff --git a/include/linux/of.h b/include/linux/of.h
index ddeaae6d2083..b871ff9d81d7 100644
--- a/include/linux/of.h
+++ b/include/linux/of.h
@@ -121,6 +121,8 @@ extern struct device_node *of_stdout;
 extern raw_spinlock_t devtree_lock;
 
 #ifdef CONFIG_OF
+void of_core_init(void);
+
 static inline bool is_of_node(struct fwnode_handle *fwnode)
 {
 	return fwnode && fwnode->type == FWNODE_OF;
@@ -376,6 +378,10 @@ bool of_console_check(struct device_node *dn, char *name, int index);
 
 #else /* CONFIG_OF */
 
+static inline void of_core_init(void)
+{
+}
+
 static inline bool is_of_node(struct fwnode_handle *fwnode)
 {
 	return false;