diff --git a/arch/ia64/kernel/head.S b/arch/ia64/kernel/head.S
index e1f97ac9eefd7..12305d3d4838a 100644
--- a/arch/ia64/kernel/head.S
+++ b/arch/ia64/kernel/head.S
@@ -181,7 +181,7 @@ swapper_pg_dir:
 halt_msg:
 	stringz "Halting kernel\n"
 
-	.section .text.head,"ax"
+	__REF
 
 	.global start_ap
 
diff --git a/arch/ia64/kernel/vmlinux.lds.S b/arch/ia64/kernel/vmlinux.lds.S
index 4a95e86b9ac20..fa3a558e3d76b 100644
--- a/arch/ia64/kernel/vmlinux.lds.S
+++ b/arch/ia64/kernel/vmlinux.lds.S
@@ -51,8 +51,6 @@ SECTIONS
 	KPROBES_TEXT
 	*(.gnu.linkonce.t*)
     }
-  .text.head : AT(ADDR(.text.head) - LOAD_OFFSET)
-	{ *(.text.head) }
   .text2 : AT(ADDR(.text2) - LOAD_OFFSET)
 	{ *(.text2) }
 #ifdef CONFIG_SMP