diff --git a/drivers/base/cpu.c b/drivers/base/cpu.c
index 78720e70617634c6301339510564ac6ed4380455..91bbb1959d8d0a831b7a7f0dc6472f2e5d4937b1 100644
--- a/drivers/base/cpu.c
+++ b/drivers/base/cpu.c
@@ -41,7 +41,7 @@ static void change_cpu_under_node(struct cpu *cpu,
 	cpu->node_id = to_nid;
 }
 
-static int __ref cpu_subsys_online(struct device *dev)
+static int cpu_subsys_online(struct device *dev)
 {
 	struct cpu *cpu = container_of(dev, struct cpu, dev);
 	int cpuid = dev->id;