diff --git a/arch/arm/mach-u300/i2c.c b/arch/arm/mach-u300/i2c.c
index 5140deeddf7b..a38f80238ea9 100644
--- a/arch/arm/mach-u300/i2c.c
+++ b/arch/arm/mach-u300/i2c.c
@@ -60,7 +60,6 @@ static struct regulator_consumer_supply supply_ldo_c[] = {
  */
 static struct regulator_consumer_supply supply_ldo_d[] = {
 	{
-		.dev = NULL,
 		.supply = "vana15", /* Powers the SoC (CPU etc) */
 	},
 };
@@ -92,7 +91,6 @@ static struct regulator_consumer_supply supply_ldo_k[] = {
  */
 static struct regulator_consumer_supply supply_ldo_ext[] = {
 	{
-		.dev = NULL,
 		.supply = "vext", /* External power */
 	},
 };
diff --git a/drivers/mfd/twl-core.c b/drivers/mfd/twl-core.c
index 8ce3959c6919..c1e4f1a277e9 100644
--- a/drivers/mfd/twl-core.c
+++ b/drivers/mfd/twl-core.c
@@ -753,9 +753,9 @@ add_children(struct twl4030_platform_data *pdata, unsigned long features)
 
 		/* we need to connect regulators to this transceiver */
 		if (twl_has_regulator() && child) {
-			usb1v5.dev = child;
-			usb1v8.dev = child;
-			usb3v1.dev = child;
+			usb1v5.dev_name = dev_name(child);
+			usb1v8.dev_name = dev_name(child);
+			usb3v1.dev_name = dev_name(child);
 		}
 	}
 	if (twl_has_usb() && pdata->usb && twl_class_is_6030()) {
@@ -801,7 +801,7 @@ add_children(struct twl4030_platform_data *pdata, unsigned long features)
 			return PTR_ERR(child);
 		/* we need to connect regulators to this transceiver */
 		if (twl_has_regulator() && child)
-			usb3v3.dev = child;
+			usb3v3.dev_name = dev_name(child);
 	} else if (twl_has_regulator() && twl_class_is_6030()) {
 		if (features & TWL6025_SUBCLASS)
 			child = add_regulator(TWL6025_REG_LDOUSB,
diff --git a/drivers/regulator/core.c b/drivers/regulator/core.c
index f4d31830f12b..e2f3afa71efb 100644
--- a/drivers/regulator/core.c
+++ b/drivers/regulator/core.c
@@ -995,7 +995,6 @@ static int set_supply(struct regulator_dev *rdev,
 /**
  * set_consumer_device_supply - Bind a regulator to a symbolic supply
  * @rdev:         regulator source
- * @consumer_dev: device the supply applies to
  * @consumer_dev_name: dev_name() string for device supply applies to
  * @supply:       symbolic name for supply
  *
@@ -1003,22 +1002,14 @@ static int set_supply(struct regulator_dev *rdev,
  * sources to symbolic names for supplies for use by devices.  Devices
  * should use these symbolic names to request regulators, avoiding the
  * need to provide board-specific regulator names as platform data.
- *
- * Only one of consumer_dev and consumer_dev_name may be specified.
  */
 static int set_consumer_device_supply(struct regulator_dev *rdev,
-	struct device *consumer_dev, const char *consumer_dev_name,
-	const char *supply)
+				      const char *consumer_dev_name,
+				      const char *supply)
 {
 	struct regulator_map *node;
 	int has_dev;
 
-	if (consumer_dev && consumer_dev_name)
-		return -EINVAL;
-
-	if (!consumer_dev_name && consumer_dev)
-		consumer_dev_name = dev_name(consumer_dev);
-
 	if (supply == NULL)
 		return -EINVAL;
 
@@ -1038,11 +1029,12 @@ static int set_consumer_device_supply(struct regulator_dev *rdev,
 		if (strcmp(node->supply, supply) != 0)
 			continue;
 
-		dev_dbg(consumer_dev, "%s/%s is '%s' supply; fail %s/%s\n",
-			dev_name(&node->regulator->dev),
-			node->regulator->desc->name,
-			supply,
-			dev_name(&rdev->dev), rdev_get_name(rdev));
+		pr_debug("%s: %s/%s is '%s' supply; fail %s/%s\n",
+			 consumer_dev_name,
+			 dev_name(&node->regulator->dev),
+			 node->regulator->desc->name,
+			 supply,
+			 dev_name(&rdev->dev), rdev_get_name(rdev));
 		return -EBUSY;
 	}
 
@@ -2955,7 +2947,6 @@ struct regulator_dev *regulator_register(struct regulator_desc *regulator_desc,
 	if (init_data) {
 		for (i = 0; i < init_data->num_consumer_supplies; i++) {
 			ret = set_consumer_device_supply(rdev,
-				init_data->consumer_supplies[i].dev,
 				init_data->consumer_supplies[i].dev_name,
 				init_data->consumer_supplies[i].supply);
 			if (ret < 0) {
diff --git a/include/linux/regulator/machine.h b/include/linux/regulator/machine.h
index f3f13fd5868f..7abb16093312 100644
--- a/include/linux/regulator/machine.h
+++ b/include/linux/regulator/machine.h
@@ -139,12 +139,10 @@ struct regulation_constraints {
  * make struct device available late such as I2C and is the preferred
  * form.
  *
- * @dev: Device structure for the consumer.
  * @dev_name: Result of dev_name() for the consumer.
  * @supply: Name for the supply.
  */
 struct regulator_consumer_supply {
-	struct device *dev;	/* consumer */
 	const char *dev_name;   /* dev_name() for consumer */
 	const char *supply;	/* consumer supply - e.g. "vcc" */
 };