diff --git a/arch/mips/include/asm/mips-boards/generic.h b/arch/mips/include/asm/mips-boards/generic.h
index 48616816bcbc..b969491aa98d 100644
--- a/arch/mips/include/asm/mips-boards/generic.h
+++ b/arch/mips/include/asm/mips-boards/generic.h
@@ -67,9 +67,7 @@
 
 extern int mips_revision_sconid;
 
-#ifdef CONFIG_OF
-extern struct boot_param_header __dtb_start;
-#endif
+extern char __dtb_start[];
 
 #ifdef CONFIG_PCI
 extern void mips_pcibios_init(void);
diff --git a/arch/mips/include/asm/prom.h b/arch/mips/include/asm/prom.h
index ccd2b75f152c..a9494c0141fb 100644
--- a/arch/mips/include/asm/prom.h
+++ b/arch/mips/include/asm/prom.h
@@ -21,13 +21,13 @@ extern void device_tree_init(void);
 
 struct boot_param_header;
 
-extern void __dt_setup_arch(struct boot_param_header *bph);
+extern void __dt_setup_arch(void *bph);
 
 #define dt_setup_arch(sym)						\
 ({									\
-	extern struct boot_param_header __dtb_##sym##_begin;		\
+	extern char __dtb_##sym##_begin[];				\
 									\
-	__dt_setup_arch(&__dtb_##sym##_begin);				\
+	__dt_setup_arch(__dtb_##sym##_begin);				\
 })
 
 #else /* CONFIG_OF */
diff --git a/arch/mips/kernel/prom.c b/arch/mips/kernel/prom.c
index 3c3b0df8f48d..5d39bb85bf35 100644
--- a/arch/mips/kernel/prom.c
+++ b/arch/mips/kernel/prom.c
@@ -47,7 +47,7 @@ void * __init early_init_dt_alloc_memory_arch(u64 size, u64 align)
 	return __alloc_bootmem(size, align, __pa(MAX_DMA_ADDRESS));
 }
 
-void __init __dt_setup_arch(struct boot_param_header *bph)
+void __init __dt_setup_arch(void *bph)
 {
 	if (!early_init_dt_scan(bph))
 		return;
diff --git a/arch/mips/lantiq/prom.c b/arch/mips/lantiq/prom.c
index cdea687ad490..7447d322d14e 100644
--- a/arch/mips/lantiq/prom.c
+++ b/arch/mips/lantiq/prom.c
@@ -71,7 +71,7 @@ void __init plat_mem_setup(void)
 	 * Load the builtin devicetree. This causes the chosen node to be
 	 * parsed resulting in our memory appearing
 	 */
-	__dt_setup_arch(&__dtb_start);
+	__dt_setup_arch(__dtb_start);
 }
 
 void __init device_tree_init(void)
diff --git a/arch/mips/lantiq/prom.h b/arch/mips/lantiq/prom.h
index 8e07b5f28ef1..69a4c582338d 100644
--- a/arch/mips/lantiq/prom.h
+++ b/arch/mips/lantiq/prom.h
@@ -26,6 +26,6 @@ struct ltq_soc_info {
 extern void ltq_soc_detect(struct ltq_soc_info *i);
 extern void ltq_soc_init(void);
 
-extern struct boot_param_header __dtb_start;
+extern char __dtb_start[];
 
 #endif
diff --git a/arch/mips/mti-sead3/sead3-setup.c b/arch/mips/mti-sead3/sead3-setup.c
index bf7fe48bf2f9..e43f4801a245 100644
--- a/arch/mips/mti-sead3/sead3-setup.c
+++ b/arch/mips/mti-sead3/sead3-setup.c
@@ -69,17 +69,17 @@ static void __init parse_memsize_param(void)
 	if (!memsize)
 		return;
 
-	offset = fdt_path_offset(&__dtb_start, "/memory");
+	offset = fdt_path_offset(__dtb_start, "/memory");
 	if (offset > 0) {
 		uint64_t new_value;
 		/*
 		 * reg contains 2 32-bits BE values, offset and size. We just
 		 * want to replace the size value without affecting the offset
 		 */
-		prop_value = fdt_getprop(&__dtb_start, offset, "reg", &prop_len);
+		prop_value = fdt_getprop(__dtb_start, offset, "reg", &prop_len);
 		new_value = be64_to_cpu(*prop_value);
 		new_value =  (new_value & ~0xffffffffllu) | memsize;
-		fdt_setprop_inplace_u64(&__dtb_start, offset, "reg", new_value);
+		fdt_setprop_inplace_u64(__dtb_start, offset, "reg", new_value);
 	}
 }
 
@@ -92,7 +92,7 @@ void __init plat_mem_setup(void)
 	 * Load the builtin devicetree. This causes the chosen node to be
 	 * parsed resulting in our memory appearing
 	 */
-	__dt_setup_arch(&__dtb_start);
+	__dt_setup_arch(__dtb_start);
 }
 
 void __init device_tree_init(void)
diff --git a/arch/mips/ralink/of.c b/arch/mips/ralink/of.c
index 0170d829d073..91d7060d5aea 100644
--- a/arch/mips/ralink/of.c
+++ b/arch/mips/ralink/of.c
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@
 __iomem void *rt_sysc_membase;
 __iomem void *rt_memc_membase;
 
-extern struct boot_param_header __dtb_start;
+extern char __dtb_start[];
 
 __iomem void *plat_of_remap_node(const char *node)
 {
@@ -63,7 +63,7 @@ void __init plat_mem_setup(void)
 	 * Load the builtin devicetree. This causes the chosen node to be
 	 * parsed resulting in our memory appearing
 	 */
-	__dt_setup_arch(&__dtb_start);
+	__dt_setup_arch(__dtb_start);
 
 	if (soc_info.mem_size)
 		add_memory_region(soc_info.mem_base, soc_info.mem_size * SZ_1M,