diff --git a/net/core/net-sysfs.c b/net/core/net-sysfs.c
index 1a7b7b1df0d1..49843bf7e43e 100644
--- a/net/core/net-sysfs.c
+++ b/net/core/net-sysfs.c
@@ -1358,7 +1358,7 @@ void netdev_class_remove_file_ns(struct class_attribute *class_attr,
 }
 EXPORT_SYMBOL(netdev_class_remove_file_ns);
 
-int netdev_kobject_init(void)
+int __init netdev_kobject_init(void)
 {
 	kobj_ns_type_register(&net_ns_type_operations);
 	return class_register(&net_class);
diff --git a/net/core/net-sysfs.h b/net/core/net-sysfs.h
index bd7751ec1c4d..2745a1b51e03 100644
--- a/net/core/net-sysfs.h
+++ b/net/core/net-sysfs.h
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 #ifndef __NET_SYSFS_H__
 #define __NET_SYSFS_H__
 
-int netdev_kobject_init(void);
+int __init netdev_kobject_init(void);
 int netdev_register_kobject(struct net_device *);
 void netdev_unregister_kobject(struct net_device *);
 int net_rx_queue_update_kobjects(struct net_device *, int old_num, int new_num);