diff --git a/drivers/base/core.c b/drivers/base/core.c
index 26acb92aa966c..cd78a001d7198 100644
--- a/drivers/base/core.c
+++ b/drivers/base/core.c
@@ -2332,7 +2332,7 @@ static int device_private_init(struct device *dev)
 	return 0;
 }
 
-u32 fw_devlink_flags;
+static u32 fw_devlink_flags;
 static int __init fw_devlink_setup(char *arg)
 {
 	if (!arg)