diff --git a/drivers/i2c/i2c-core.c b/drivers/i2c/i2c-core.c
index 29d3f045a2bfbc688beeb79f888cb72d10c3bcd2..430c001b3f1e6e0bbca7b372b340241a9a9b558a 100644
--- a/drivers/i2c/i2c-core.c
+++ b/drivers/i2c/i2c-core.c
@@ -248,17 +248,16 @@ static int i2c_device_probe(struct device *dev)
 	driver = to_i2c_driver(dev->driver);
 	if (!driver->probe || !driver->id_table)
 		return -ENODEV;
-	client->driver = driver;
+
 	if (!device_can_wakeup(&client->dev))
 		device_init_wakeup(&client->dev,
 					client->flags & I2C_CLIENT_WAKE);
 	dev_dbg(dev, "probe\n");
 
 	status = driver->probe(client, i2c_match_id(driver->id_table, client));
-	if (status) {
-		client->driver = NULL;
+	if (status)
 		i2c_set_clientdata(client, NULL);
-	}
+
 	return status;
 }
 
@@ -279,10 +278,9 @@ static int i2c_device_remove(struct device *dev)
 		dev->driver = NULL;
 		status = 0;
 	}
-	if (status == 0) {
-		client->driver = NULL;
+	if (status == 0)
 		i2c_set_clientdata(client, NULL);
-	}
+
 	return status;
 }
 
@@ -1606,9 +1604,14 @@ static int i2c_cmd(struct device *dev, void *_arg)
 {
 	struct i2c_client	*client = i2c_verify_client(dev);
 	struct i2c_cmd_arg	*arg = _arg;
+	struct i2c_driver	*driver;
+
+	if (!client || !client->dev.driver)
+		return 0;
 
-	if (client && client->driver && client->driver->command)
-		client->driver->command(client, arg->cmd, arg->arg);
+	driver = to_i2c_driver(client->dev.driver);
+	if (driver->command)
+		driver->command(client, arg->cmd, arg->arg);
 	return 0;
 }
 
diff --git a/drivers/i2c/i2c-smbus.c b/drivers/i2c/i2c-smbus.c
index 44d4c6071c15096e19d16433092b7428c113f34f..c99b229873665b56656a7cabd95c7dfd6acb3fb1 100644
--- a/drivers/i2c/i2c-smbus.c
+++ b/drivers/i2c/i2c-smbus.c
@@ -46,6 +46,7 @@ static int smbus_do_alert(struct device *dev, void *addrp)
 {
 	struct i2c_client *client = i2c_verify_client(dev);
 	struct alert_data *data = addrp;
+	struct i2c_driver *driver;
 
 	if (!client || client->addr != data->addr)
 		return 0;
@@ -54,12 +55,13 @@ static int smbus_do_alert(struct device *dev, void *addrp)
 
 	/*
 	 * Drivers should either disable alerts, or provide at least
-	 * a minimal handler.  Lock so client->driver won't change.
+	 * a minimal handler.  Lock so the driver won't change.
 	 */
 	device_lock(dev);
-	if (client->driver) {
-		if (client->driver->alert)
-			client->driver->alert(client, data->flag);
+	if (client->dev.driver) {
+		driver = to_i2c_driver(client->dev.driver);
+		if (driver->alert)
+			driver->alert(client, data->flag);
 		else
 			dev_warn(&client->dev, "no driver alert()!\n");
 	} else
diff --git a/include/linux/i2c.h b/include/linux/i2c.h
index 2ab11dc38077c89f7c60d767ed1096b909ab6039..eff50e062be850189ed9e78a9b6058a5eea49b74 100644
--- a/include/linux/i2c.h
+++ b/include/linux/i2c.h
@@ -205,7 +205,6 @@ struct i2c_driver {
  * @name: Indicates the type of the device, usually a chip name that's
  *	generic enough to hide second-sourcing and compatible revisions.
  * @adapter: manages the bus segment hosting this I2C device
- * @driver: device's driver, hence pointer to access routines
  * @dev: Driver model device node for the slave.
  * @irq: indicates the IRQ generated by this device (if any)
  * @detected: member of an i2c_driver.clients list or i2c-core's
@@ -222,7 +221,6 @@ struct i2c_client {
 					/* _LOWER_ 7 bits		*/
 	char name[I2C_NAME_SIZE];
 	struct i2c_adapter *adapter;	/* the adapter we sit on	*/
-	struct i2c_driver *driver;	/* and our access routines	*/
 	struct device dev;		/* the device structure		*/
 	int irq;			/* irq issued by device		*/
 	struct list_head detected;