diff --git a/drivers/video/riva/fbdev.c b/drivers/video/riva/fbdev.c
index 1d1c7c624d7f04be2c854741fdac775e6674d7bf..d7ece8d17a2c53f41fee7ccdccadc89411082b87 100644
--- a/drivers/video/riva/fbdev.c
+++ b/drivers/video/riva/fbdev.c
@@ -285,8 +285,6 @@ static const struct riva_regs reg_template = {
 #define MAX_LEVEL 0x534
 #define LEVEL_STEP ((MAX_LEVEL - MIN_LEVEL) / FB_BACKLIGHT_MAX)
 
-static struct backlight_properties riva_bl_data;
-
 static int riva_bl_get_level_brightness(struct riva_par *par,
 		int level)
 {
@@ -372,7 +370,7 @@ static void riva_bl_init(struct riva_par *par)
 		FB_BACKLIGHT_MAX);
 
 	bd->props.max_brightness = FB_BACKLIGHT_LEVELS - 1;
-	bd->props.brightness = riva_bl_data.max_brightness;
+	bd->props.brightness = bd->props.max_brightness;
 	bd->props.power = FB_BLANK_UNBLANK;
 	backlight_update_status(bd);