diff --git a/drivers/char/rtc.c b/drivers/char/rtc.c
index 664f36c..b6d3072d 100644
--- a/drivers/char/rtc.c
+++ b/drivers/char/rtc.c
@@ -135,7 +135,9 @@
 static DECLARE_WAIT_QUEUE_HEAD(rtc_wait);
 
 #ifdef RTC_IRQ
-static struct timer_list rtc_irq_timer;
+static void rtc_dropped_irq(unsigned long data);
+
+static DEFINE_TIMER(rtc_irq_timer, rtc_dropped_irq, 0, 0);
 #endif
 
 static ssize_t rtc_read(struct file *file, char __user *buf,
@@ -150,8 +152,6 @@
 
 static void get_rtc_alm_time (struct rtc_time *alm_tm);
 #ifdef RTC_IRQ
-static void rtc_dropped_irq(unsigned long data);
-
 static void set_rtc_irq_bit_locked(unsigned char bit);
 static void mask_rtc_irq_bit_locked(unsigned char bit);
 
@@ -454,8 +454,8 @@
 
 		spin_lock_irqsave (&rtc_lock, flags);
 		if (!(rtc_status & RTC_TIMER_ON)) {
-			rtc_irq_timer.expires = jiffies + HZ/rtc_freq + 2*HZ/100;
-			add_timer(&rtc_irq_timer);
+			mod_timer(&rtc_irq_timer, jiffies + HZ/rtc_freq +
+					2*HZ/100);
 			rtc_status |= RTC_TIMER_ON;
 		}
 		set_rtc_irq_bit_locked(RTC_PIE);
@@ -1084,8 +1084,6 @@
 	if (rtc_has_irq == 0)
 		goto no_irq2;
 
-	init_timer(&rtc_irq_timer);
-	rtc_irq_timer.function = rtc_dropped_irq;
 	spin_lock_irq(&rtc_lock);
 	rtc_freq = 1024;
 	if (!hpet_set_periodic_freq(rtc_freq)) {