diff --git a/arch/x86_64/kernel/vmlinux.lds.S b/arch/x86_64/kernel/vmlinux.lds.S
index 59316d1c1d84..74db0062d4a2 100644
--- a/arch/x86_64/kernel/vmlinux.lds.S
+++ b/arch/x86_64/kernel/vmlinux.lds.S
@@ -172,13 +172,15 @@ SECTIONS
   . = ALIGN(4096);
   __initramfs_start = .;
   .init.ramfs : AT(ADDR(.init.ramfs) - LOAD_OFFSET) { *(.init.ramfs) }
-  __initramfs_end = .;	
+  __initramfs_end = .;
+  /* temporary here to work around NR_CPUS. If you see this comment in 2.6.17+
+   complain */
+  . = ALIGN(4096);	
+  __init_end = .;	
   . = ALIGN(CONFIG_X86_L1_CACHE_BYTES);
   __per_cpu_start = .;
   .data.percpu  : AT(ADDR(.data.percpu) - LOAD_OFFSET) { *(.data.percpu) }
   __per_cpu_end = .;
-  . = ALIGN(4096);
-  __init_end = .;
 
   . = ALIGN(4096);
   __nosave_begin = .;