diff --git a/mm/sparse.c b/mm/sparse.c
index 7859c8083334..f6a43c09c322 100644
--- a/mm/sparse.c
+++ b/mm/sparse.c
@@ -237,7 +237,7 @@ static unsigned long *__kmalloc_section_usemap(void)
 }
 #endif /* CONFIG_MEMORY_HOTPLUG */
 
-static unsigned long *sparse_early_usemap_alloc(unsigned long pnum)
+static unsigned long *__init sparse_early_usemap_alloc(unsigned long pnum)
 {
 	unsigned long *usemap;
 	struct mem_section *ms = __nr_to_section(pnum);