diff --git a/arch/arm64/boot/dts/sprd/whale2.dtsi b/arch/arm64/boot/dts/sprd/whale2.dtsi
index 79b9591c37aa..89d91abbd5d1 100644
--- a/arch/arm64/boot/dts/sprd/whale2.dtsi
+++ b/arch/arm64/boot/dts/sprd/whale2.dtsi
@@ -126,7 +126,9 @@ ap_dma: dma-controller@20100000 {
 				reg = <0 0x20100000 0 0x4000>;
 				interrupts = <GIC_SPI 42 IRQ_TYPE_LEVEL_HIGH>;
 				#dma-cells = <1>;
+				/* For backwards compatibility: */
 				#dma-channels = <32>;
+				dma-channels = <32>;
 				clock-names = "enable";
 				clocks = <&apahb_gate CLK_DMA_EB>;
 			};
@@ -272,7 +274,9 @@ agcp_dma: dma-controller@41580000 {
 				compatible = "sprd,sc9860-dma";
 				reg = <0 0x41580000 0 0x4000>;
 				#dma-cells = <1>;
+				/* For backwards compatibility: */
 				#dma-channels = <32>;
+				dma-channels = <32>;
 				clock-names = "enable", "ashb_eb";
 				clocks = <&agcp_gate CLK_AGCP_DMAAP_EB>,
 				       <&agcp_gate CLK_AGCP_AP_ASHB_EB>;