diff --git a/drivers/misc/kgdbts.c b/drivers/misc/kgdbts.c
index 9a60bd4d3c49..99635dd9dbac 100644
--- a/drivers/misc/kgdbts.c
+++ b/drivers/misc/kgdbts.c
@@ -1112,6 +1112,7 @@ static int __init init_kgdbts(void)
 
 	return configure_kgdbts();
 }
+device_initcall(init_kgdbts);
 
 static int kgdbts_get_char(void)
 {
@@ -1180,10 +1181,9 @@ static struct kgdb_io kgdbts_io_ops = {
 	.post_exception		= kgdbts_post_exp_handler,
 };
 
-module_init(init_kgdbts);
+/*
+ * not really modular, but the easiest way to keep compat with existing
+ * bootargs behaviour is to continue using module_param here.
+ */
 module_param_call(kgdbts, param_set_kgdbts_var, param_get_string, &kps, 0644);
 MODULE_PARM_DESC(kgdbts, "<A|V1|V2>[F#|S#][N#]");
-MODULE_DESCRIPTION("KGDB Test Suite");
-MODULE_LICENSE("GPL");
-MODULE_AUTHOR("Wind River Systems, Inc.");
-