diff --git a/mm/sparse.c b/mm/sparse.c
index 6f3fff9..1302f83 100644
--- a/mm/sparse.c
+++ b/mm/sparse.c
@@ -44,7 +44,7 @@
 #endif
 
 #ifdef CONFIG_SPARSEMEM_EXTREME
-static struct mem_section noinline *sparse_index_alloc(int nid)
+static struct mem_section noinline __init_refok *sparse_index_alloc(int nid)
 {
 	struct mem_section *section = NULL;
 	unsigned long array_size = SECTIONS_PER_ROOT *