diff --git a/arch/um/drivers/line.c b/arch/um/drivers/line.c
index 025d3be8aca4..562f864254ba 100644
--- a/arch/um/drivers/line.c
+++ b/arch/um/drivers/line.c
@@ -406,14 +406,12 @@ void line_disable(struct tty_struct *tty, int current_irq)
 	if(line->driver->read_irq == current_irq)
 		free_irq_later(line->driver->read_irq, tty);
 	else {
-		free_irq_by_irq_and_dev(line->driver->read_irq, tty);
 		free_irq(line->driver->read_irq, tty);
 	}
 
 	if(line->driver->write_irq == current_irq)
 		free_irq_later(line->driver->write_irq, tty);
 	else {
-		free_irq_by_irq_and_dev(line->driver->write_irq, tty);
 		free_irq(line->driver->write_irq, tty);
 	}
 
diff --git a/arch/um/drivers/net_kern.c b/arch/um/drivers/net_kern.c
index 4eeaf88c1e97..5388a7428691 100644
--- a/arch/um/drivers/net_kern.c
+++ b/arch/um/drivers/net_kern.c
@@ -146,7 +146,6 @@ static int uml_net_close(struct net_device *dev)
 	netif_stop_queue(dev);
 	spin_lock(&lp->lock);
 
-	free_irq_by_irq_and_dev(dev->irq, dev);
 	free_irq(dev->irq, dev);
 	if(lp->close != NULL)
 		(*lp->close)(lp->fd, &lp->user);
diff --git a/arch/um/drivers/port_kern.c b/arch/um/drivers/port_kern.c
index b5ee07472f79..c41efd207fcc 100644
--- a/arch/um/drivers/port_kern.c
+++ b/arch/um/drivers/port_kern.c
@@ -257,7 +257,6 @@ int port_wait(void *data)
 		 * connection.  Then we loop here throwing out failed 
 		 * connections until a good one is found.
 		 */
-		free_irq_by_irq_and_dev(TELNETD_IRQ, conn);
 		free_irq(TELNETD_IRQ, conn);
 
 		if(conn->fd >= 0) break;
diff --git a/arch/um/drivers/xterm_kern.c b/arch/um/drivers/xterm_kern.c
index a4fdf3584ad2..d269a80f4b0c 100644
--- a/arch/um/drivers/xterm_kern.c
+++ b/arch/um/drivers/xterm_kern.c
@@ -69,7 +69,6 @@ int xterm_fd(int socket, int *pid_out)
 	 * isn't set) this will hang... */
 	wait_for_completion(&data->ready);
 
-	free_irq_by_irq_and_dev(XTERM_IRQ, data);
 	free_irq(XTERM_IRQ, data);
 
 	ret = data->new_fd;
diff --git a/arch/um/kernel/irq.c b/arch/um/kernel/irq.c
index d44fb5282547..9f18061ef4c9 100644
--- a/arch/um/kernel/irq.c
+++ b/arch/um/kernel/irq.c
@@ -124,14 +124,16 @@ void irq_unlock(unsigned long flags)
 	spin_unlock_irqrestore(&irq_spinlock, flags);
 }
 
-/*  presently hw_interrupt_type must define (startup || enable) &&
- *  disable && end */
+/* hw_interrupt_type must define (startup || enable) &&
+ * (shutdown || disable) && end */
 static void dummy(unsigned int irq)
 {
 }
 
-static struct hw_interrupt_type SIGIO_irq_type = {
+/* This is used for everything else than the timer. */
+static struct hw_interrupt_type normal_irq_type = {
 	.typename = "SIGIO",
+	.release = free_irq_by_irq_and_dev,
 	.disable = dummy,
 	.enable = dummy,
 	.ack = dummy,
@@ -140,6 +142,7 @@ static struct hw_interrupt_type SIGIO_irq_type = {
 
 static struct hw_interrupt_type SIGVTALRM_irq_type = {
 	.typename = "SIGVTALRM",
+	.release = free_irq_by_irq_and_dev,
 	.shutdown = dummy, /* never called */
 	.disable = dummy,
 	.enable = dummy,
@@ -160,7 +163,7 @@ void __init init_IRQ(void)
 		irq_desc[i].status = IRQ_DISABLED;
 		irq_desc[i].action = NULL;
 		irq_desc[i].depth = 1;
-		irq_desc[i].handler = &SIGIO_irq_type;
+		irq_desc[i].handler = &normal_irq_type;
 		enable_irq(i);
 	}
 }
diff --git a/arch/um/kernel/irq_user.c b/arch/um/kernel/irq_user.c
index b3074cbaa479..c3ccaf24f3e0 100644
--- a/arch/um/kernel/irq_user.c
+++ b/arch/um/kernel/irq_user.c
@@ -85,8 +85,6 @@ void sigio_handler(int sig, union uml_pt_regs *regs)
 				next = irq_fd->next;
 				if(irq_fd->freed){
 					free_irq(irq_fd->irq, irq_fd->id);
-					free_irq_by_irq_and_dev(irq_fd->irq,
-								irq_fd->id);
 				}
 			}
 		}
diff --git a/include/linux/irq.h b/include/linux/irq.h
index c3ff4d101667..b68ad80e2464 100644
--- a/include/linux/irq.h
+++ b/include/linux/irq.h
@@ -47,6 +47,7 @@ struct hw_interrupt_type {
 	void (*ack)(unsigned int irq);
 	void (*end)(unsigned int irq);
 	void (*set_affinity)(unsigned int irq, cpumask_t dest);
+	void (*release)(unsigned int irq, void *dev_id);
 };
 
 typedef struct hw_interrupt_type  hw_irq_controller;
diff --git a/kernel/irq/manage.c b/kernel/irq/manage.c
index 5202e4c4a5b6..5fde8177eedf 100644
--- a/kernel/irq/manage.c
+++ b/kernel/irq/manage.c
@@ -255,6 +255,10 @@ void free_irq(unsigned int irq, void *dev_id)
 
 			/* Found it - now remove it from the list of entries */
 			*pp = action->next;
+
+			if (desc->handler->release)
+				desc->handler->release(irq, dev_id);
+
 			if (!desc->action) {
 				desc->status |= IRQ_DISABLED;
 				if (desc->handler->shutdown)