diff --git a/include/linux/irqnr.h b/include/linux/irqnr.h
index a33088d27c54..e97206c721a0 100644
--- a/include/linux/irqnr.h
+++ b/include/linux/irqnr.h
@@ -5,7 +5,6 @@
 #include <uapi/linux/irqnr.h>
 
 
-extern int nr_irqs;
 unsigned int irq_get_nr_irqs(void) __pure;
 unsigned int irq_set_nr_irqs(unsigned int nr);
 extern struct irq_desc *irq_to_desc(unsigned int irq);
diff --git a/kernel/irq/irqdesc.c b/kernel/irq/irqdesc.c
index b0733959f8ae..479cf1caa610 100644
--- a/kernel/irq/irqdesc.c
+++ b/kernel/irq/irqdesc.c
@@ -138,8 +138,7 @@ static void desc_set_defaults(unsigned int irq, struct irq_desc *desc, int node,
 	desc_smp_init(desc, node, affinity);
 }
 
-int nr_irqs = NR_IRQS;
-EXPORT_SYMBOL_GPL(nr_irqs);
+static unsigned int nr_irqs = NR_IRQS;
 
 /**
  * irq_get_nr_irqs() - Number of interrupts supported by the system.