diff --git a/drivers/s390/cio/cmf.c b/drivers/s390/cio/cmf.c
index 0d1898e..de7074f 100644
--- a/drivers/s390/cio/cmf.c
+++ b/drivers/s390/cio/cmf.c
@@ -113,7 +113,6 @@
  * @readall:	read a measurement block in a common format
  * @reset:	clear the data in the associated measurement block and
  *		reset its time stamp
- * @align:	align an allocated block so that the hardware can use it
  */
 struct cmb_operations {
 	int  (*alloc)  (struct ccw_device *);
@@ -122,7 +121,6 @@
 	u64  (*read)   (struct ccw_device *, int);
 	int  (*readall)(struct ccw_device *, struct cmbdata *);
 	void (*reset)  (struct ccw_device *);
-	void *(*align) (void *);
 /* private: */
 	struct attribute_group *attr_group;
 };
@@ -321,7 +319,7 @@
 			return -EBUSY;
 	}
 	cmb_data = cdev->private->cmb;
-	hw_block = cmbops->align(cmb_data->hw_block);
+	hw_block = cmb_data->hw_block;
 	if (!memcmp(cmb_data->last_block, hw_block, cmb_data->size))
 		/* No need to copy. */
 		return 0;
@@ -432,7 +430,7 @@
 		 * Need to reset hw block as well to make the hardware start
 		 * from 0 again.
 		 */
-		memset(cmbops->align(cmb_data->hw_block), 0, cmb_data->size);
+		memset(cmb_data->hw_block, 0, cmb_data->size);
 		cmb_data->last_update = 0;
 	}
 	cdev->private->cmb_start_time = get_tod_clock();
@@ -755,11 +753,6 @@
 	cmf_generic_reset(cdev);
 }
 
-static void * align_cmb(void *area)
-{
-	return area;
-}
-
 static struct attribute_group cmf_attr_group;
 
 static struct cmb_operations cmbops_basic = {
@@ -769,7 +762,6 @@
 	.read	= read_cmb,
 	.readall    = readall_cmb,
 	.reset	    = reset_cmb,
-	.align	    = align_cmb,
 	.attr_group = &cmf_attr_group,
 };
 
@@ -804,20 +796,9 @@
 	u32 device_busy_time;
 	u32 initial_command_response_time;
 	u32 reserved[7];
-};
+} __packed __aligned(64);
 
-/*
- * kmalloc only guarantees 8 byte alignment, but we need cmbe
- * pointers to be naturally aligned. Make sure to allocate
- * enough space for two cmbes.
- */
-static inline struct cmbe *cmbe_align(struct cmbe *c)
-{
-	unsigned long addr;
-	addr = ((unsigned long)c + sizeof (struct cmbe) - sizeof(long)) &
-				 ~(sizeof (struct cmbe) - sizeof(long));
-	return (struct cmbe*)addr;
-}
+static struct kmem_cache *cmbe_cache;
 
 static int alloc_cmbe(struct ccw_device *cdev)
 {
@@ -825,11 +806,11 @@
 	struct cmbe *cmbe;
 	int ret = -ENOMEM;
 
-	cmbe = kzalloc (sizeof (*cmbe) * 2, GFP_KERNEL);
+	cmbe = kmem_cache_zalloc(cmbe_cache, GFP_KERNEL);
 	if (!cmbe)
 		return ret;
 
-	cmb_data = kzalloc(sizeof(struct cmb_data), GFP_KERNEL);
+	cmb_data = kzalloc(sizeof(*cmb_data), GFP_KERNEL);
 	if (!cmb_data)
 		goto out_free;
 
@@ -837,7 +818,7 @@
 	if (!cmb_data->last_block)
 		goto out_free;
 
-	cmb_data->size = sizeof(struct cmbe);
+	cmb_data->size = sizeof(*cmbe);
 	cmb_data->hw_block = cmbe;
 
 	spin_lock(&cmb_area.lock);
@@ -864,7 +845,8 @@
 	if (cmb_data)
 		kfree(cmb_data->last_block);
 	kfree(cmb_data);
-	kfree(cmbe);
+	kmem_cache_free(cmbe_cache, cmbe);
+
 	return ret;
 }
 
@@ -878,7 +860,7 @@
 	cdev->private->cmb = NULL;
 	if (cmb_data) {
 		kfree(cmb_data->last_block);
-		kfree(cmb_data->hw_block);
+		kmem_cache_free(cmbe_cache, cmb_data->hw_block);
 	}
 	kfree(cmb_data);
 
@@ -902,7 +884,7 @@
 		return -EINVAL;
 	}
 	cmb_data = cdev->private->cmb;
-	mba = mme ? (unsigned long) cmbe_align(cmb_data->hw_block) : 0;
+	mba = mme ? (unsigned long) cmb_data->hw_block : 0;
 	spin_unlock_irqrestore(cdev->ccwlock, flags);
 
 	return set_schib_wait(cdev, mme, 1, mba);
@@ -1027,11 +1009,6 @@
 	cmf_generic_reset(cdev);
 }
 
-static void * align_cmbe(void *area)
-{
-	return cmbe_align(area);
-}
-
 static struct attribute_group cmf_attr_group_ext;
 
 static struct cmb_operations cmbops_extended = {
@@ -1041,7 +1018,6 @@
 	.read	    = read_cmbe,
 	.readall    = readall_cmbe,
 	.reset	    = reset_cmbe,
-	.align	    = align_cmbe,
 	.attr_group = &cmf_attr_group_ext,
 };
 
@@ -1336,10 +1312,19 @@
 	return cmbops->set(cdev, 2);
 }
 
+static int __init init_cmbe(void)
+{
+	cmbe_cache = kmem_cache_create("cmbe_cache", sizeof(struct cmbe),
+				       __alignof__(struct cmbe), 0, NULL);
+
+	return cmbe_cache ? 0 : -ENOMEM;
+}
+
 static int __init init_cmf(void)
 {
 	char *format_string;
-	char *detect_string = "parameter";
+	char *detect_string;
+	int ret;
 
 	/*
 	 * If the user did not give a parameter, see if we are running on a
@@ -1365,15 +1350,18 @@
 	case CMF_EXTENDED:
 		format_string = "extended";
 		cmbops = &cmbops_extended;
+
+		ret = init_cmbe();
+		if (ret)
+			return ret;
 		break;
 	default:
-		return 1;
+		return -EINVAL;
 	}
 	pr_info("Channel measurement facility initialized using format "
 		"%s (mode %s)\n", format_string, detect_string);
 	return 0;
 }
-
 module_init(init_cmf);