diff --git a/drivers/staging/octeon/ethernet-tx.c b/drivers/staging/octeon/ethernet-tx.c
index 785c6492f170..cc20c1e6791f 100644
--- a/drivers/staging/octeon/ethernet-tx.c
+++ b/drivers/staging/octeon/ethernet-tx.c
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@
  * Copyright (c) 2003-2010 Cavium Networks
  */
 
+#include <linux/platform_device.h>
 #include <linux/module.h>
 #include <linux/kernel.h>
 #include <linux/netdevice.h>
@@ -649,19 +650,19 @@ static irqreturn_t cvm_oct_tx_cleanup_watchdog(int cpl, void *dev_id)
 	return IRQ_HANDLED;
 }
 
-void cvm_oct_tx_initialize(void)
+int cvm_oct_tx_initialize(struct platform_device *pdev)
 {
-	int i;
+	int ret;
 
 	/* Disable the interrupt.  */
 	cvmx_write_csr(CVMX_CIU_TIMX(1), 0);
 	/* Register an IRQ handler to receive CIU_TIMX(1) interrupts */
-	i = request_irq(OCTEON_IRQ_TIMER1,
-			cvm_oct_tx_cleanup_watchdog, 0,
-			"Ethernet", cvm_oct_device);
-
-	if (i)
-		panic("Could not acquire Ethernet IRQ %d\n", OCTEON_IRQ_TIMER1);
+	ret = request_irq(OCTEON_IRQ_TIMER1, cvm_oct_tx_cleanup_watchdog, 0,
+			  "Ethernet", cvm_oct_device);
+	if (ret)
+		dev_warn(&pdev->dev, "Could not acquire Ethernet IRQ %d\n",
+			 OCTEON_IRQ_TIMER1);
+	return ret;
 }
 
 void cvm_oct_tx_shutdown(void)
diff --git a/drivers/staging/octeon/ethernet-tx.h b/drivers/staging/octeon/ethernet-tx.h
index 6c524668f65a..b03d56b0d2b6 100644
--- a/drivers/staging/octeon/ethernet-tx.h
+++ b/drivers/staging/octeon/ethernet-tx.h
@@ -9,6 +9,6 @@ netdev_tx_t cvm_oct_xmit(struct sk_buff *skb, struct net_device *dev);
 netdev_tx_t cvm_oct_xmit_pow(struct sk_buff *skb, struct net_device *dev);
 int cvm_oct_transmit_qos(struct net_device *dev, void *work_queue_entry,
 			 int do_free, int qos);
-void cvm_oct_tx_initialize(void);
+int cvm_oct_tx_initialize(struct platform_device *pdev);
 void cvm_oct_tx_shutdown(void);
 void cvm_oct_tx_shutdown_dev(struct net_device *dev);
diff --git a/drivers/staging/octeon/ethernet.c b/drivers/staging/octeon/ethernet.c
index 21f3e27aabf2..56ea84818753 100644
--- a/drivers/staging/octeon/ethernet.c
+++ b/drivers/staging/octeon/ethernet.c
@@ -934,7 +934,7 @@ static int cvm_oct_probe(struct platform_device *pdev)
 		}
 	}
 
-	cvm_oct_tx_initialize();
+	cvm_oct_tx_initialize(pdev);
 	cvm_oct_rx_initialize(pdev);
 
 	/*