diff --git a/include/asm-alpha/irq.h b/include/asm-alpha/irq.h
index f6de033..917b9fe 100644
--- a/include/asm-alpha/irq.h
+++ b/include/asm-alpha/irq.h
@@ -92,8 +92,4 @@
 struct pt_regs;
 extern void (*perf_irq)(unsigned long, struct pt_regs *);
 
-struct irqaction;
-int handle_IRQ_event(unsigned int, struct pt_regs *, struct irqaction *);
-
-
 #endif /* _ALPHA_IRQ_H */
diff --git a/include/asm-arm/irq.h b/include/asm-arm/irq.h
index 60b5105..66e67e6 100644
--- a/include/asm-arm/irq.h
+++ b/include/asm-arm/irq.h
@@ -47,10 +47,6 @@
 void enable_irq_wake(unsigned int irq);
 int setup_irq(unsigned int, struct irqaction *);
 
-struct irqaction;
-struct pt_regs;
-int handle_IRQ_event(unsigned int, struct pt_regs *, struct irqaction *);
-
 extern void migrate_irqs(void);
 #endif
 
diff --git a/include/asm-arm26/irq.h b/include/asm-arm26/irq.h
index 06bd5a5..9aaac87 100644
--- a/include/asm-arm26/irq.h
+++ b/include/asm-arm26/irq.h
@@ -44,9 +44,5 @@
 
 int set_irq_type(unsigned int irq, unsigned int type);
 
-int setup_irq(unsigned int, struct irqaction *);
-struct pt_regs;
-int handle_IRQ_event(unsigned int, struct pt_regs *, struct irqaction *);
-
 #endif
 
diff --git a/include/asm-h8300/irq.h b/include/asm-h8300/irq.h
index 73065f5..42a3ac4 100644
--- a/include/asm-h8300/irq.h
+++ b/include/asm-h8300/irq.h
@@ -63,8 +63,4 @@
 extern void disable_irq(unsigned int);
 #define disable_irq_nosync(x)	disable_irq(x)
 
-struct irqaction;
-struct pt_regs;
-int handle_IRQ_event(unsigned int, struct pt_regs *, struct irqaction *);
-
 #endif /* _H8300_IRQ_H_ */
diff --git a/include/asm-m68k/irq.h b/include/asm-m68k/irq.h
index b4f48b2..9727ca9 100644
--- a/include/asm-m68k/irq.h
+++ b/include/asm-m68k/irq.h
@@ -130,8 +130,4 @@
  */
 extern irq_node_t *new_irq_node(void);
 
-struct irqaction;
-struct pt_regs;
-int handle_IRQ_event(unsigned int, struct pt_regs *, struct irqaction *);
-
 #endif /* _M68K_IRQ_H_ */
diff --git a/include/asm-m68knommu/irq.h b/include/asm-m68knommu/irq.h
index 2b40884..c524751 100644
--- a/include/asm-m68knommu/irq.h
+++ b/include/asm-m68knommu/irq.h
@@ -87,8 +87,4 @@
 #define disable_irq(x)	do { } while (0)
 #define disable_irq_nosync(x)	disable_irq(x)
 
-struct irqaction;
-struct pt_regs;
-int handle_IRQ_event(unsigned int, struct pt_regs *, struct irqaction *);
-
 #endif /* _M68K_IRQ_H_ */
diff --git a/include/asm-s390/irq.h b/include/asm-s390/irq.h
index 916a1aa..bd1a721 100644
--- a/include/asm-s390/irq.h
+++ b/include/asm-s390/irq.h
@@ -21,10 +21,6 @@
 
 #define touch_nmi_watchdog() do { } while(0)
 
-struct irqaction;
-struct pt_regs;
-int handle_IRQ_event(unsigned int, struct pt_regs *, struct irqaction *);
-
 #endif /* __KERNEL__ */
 #endif
 
diff --git a/include/asm-sparc/irq.h b/include/asm-sparc/irq.h
index f2d6453..3141ddf 100644
--- a/include/asm-sparc/irq.h
+++ b/include/asm-sparc/irq.h
@@ -181,8 +181,4 @@
 #define SUN4M_INT_SBUS(x)	(1 << (x+7))
 #define SUN4M_INT_VME(x)	(1 << (x))
 
-struct irqaction;
-struct pt_regs;
-int handle_IRQ_event(unsigned int, struct pt_regs *, struct irqaction *);
-
 #endif
diff --git a/include/asm-v850/irq.h b/include/asm-v850/irq.h
index 4443115..1bf096d 100644
--- a/include/asm-v850/irq.h
+++ b/include/asm-v850/irq.h
@@ -62,8 +62,6 @@
 /* Disable an irq without waiting. */
 extern void disable_irq_nosync (unsigned int irq);
 
-extern int handle_IRQ_event(unsigned int, struct pt_regs *, struct irqaction *);
-
 #endif /* !__ASSEMBLY__ */
 
 #endif /* __V850_IRQ_H__ */
diff --git a/include/linux/interrupt.h b/include/linux/interrupt.h
index 9e0fefd..70741e1 100644
--- a/include/linux/interrupt.h
+++ b/include/linux/interrupt.h
@@ -7,32 +7,13 @@
 #include <linux/bitops.h>
 #include <linux/preempt.h>
 #include <linux/cpumask.h>
+#include <linux/irqreturn.h>
 #include <linux/hardirq.h>
 #include <linux/sched.h>
 #include <asm/atomic.h>
 #include <asm/ptrace.h>
 #include <asm/system.h>
 
-/*
- * For 2.4.x compatibility, 2.4.x can use
- *
- *	typedef void irqreturn_t;
- *	#define IRQ_NONE
- *	#define IRQ_HANDLED
- *	#define IRQ_RETVAL(x)
- *
- * To mix old-style and new-style irq handler returns.
- *
- * IRQ_NONE means we didn't handle it.
- * IRQ_HANDLED means that we did have a valid interrupt and handled it.
- * IRQ_RETVAL(x) selects on the two depending on x being non-zero (for handled)
- */
-typedef int irqreturn_t;
-
-#define IRQ_NONE	(0)
-#define IRQ_HANDLED	(1)
-#define IRQ_RETVAL(x)	((x) != 0)
-
 struct irqaction {
 	irqreturn_t (*handler)(int, void *, struct pt_regs *);
 	unsigned long flags;
diff --git a/include/linux/irq.h b/include/linux/irq.h
index e8a07e7..676e00d 100644
--- a/include/linux/irq.h
+++ b/include/linux/irq.h
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@
 #include <linux/cache.h>
 #include <linux/spinlock.h>
 #include <linux/cpumask.h>
+#include <linux/irqreturn.h>
 
 #include <asm/irq.h>
 #include <asm/ptrace.h>
@@ -175,7 +176,7 @@
 extern int no_irq_affinity;
 extern int noirqdebug_setup(char *str);
 
-extern fastcall int handle_IRQ_event(unsigned int irq, struct pt_regs *regs,
+extern fastcall irqreturn_t handle_IRQ_event(unsigned int irq, struct pt_regs *regs,
 					struct irqaction *action);
 extern fastcall unsigned int __do_IRQ(unsigned int irq, struct pt_regs *regs);
 extern void note_interrupt(unsigned int irq, irq_desc_t *desc,
diff --git a/include/linux/irqreturn.h b/include/linux/irqreturn.h
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..881883c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/include/linux/irqreturn.h
@@ -0,0 +1,25 @@
+/* irqreturn.h */
+#ifndef _LINUX_IRQRETURN_H
+#define _LINUX_IRQRETURN_H
+
+/*
+ * For 2.4.x compatibility, 2.4.x can use
+ *
+ *	typedef void irqreturn_t;
+ *	#define IRQ_NONE
+ *	#define IRQ_HANDLED
+ *	#define IRQ_RETVAL(x)
+ *
+ * To mix old-style and new-style irq handler returns.
+ *
+ * IRQ_NONE means we didn't handle it.
+ * IRQ_HANDLED means that we did have a valid interrupt and handled it.
+ * IRQ_RETVAL(x) selects on the two depending on x being non-zero (for handled)
+ */
+typedef int irqreturn_t;
+
+#define IRQ_NONE	(0)
+#define IRQ_HANDLED	(1)
+#define IRQ_RETVAL(x)	((x) != 0)
+
+#endif
diff --git a/kernel/irq/handle.c b/kernel/irq/handle.c
index 51df337..0f65301 100644
--- a/kernel/irq/handle.c
+++ b/kernel/irq/handle.c
@@ -76,10 +76,11 @@
 /*
  * Have got an event to handle:
  */
-fastcall int handle_IRQ_event(unsigned int irq, struct pt_regs *regs,
+fastcall irqreturn_t handle_IRQ_event(unsigned int irq, struct pt_regs *regs,
 				struct irqaction *action)
 {
-	int ret, retval = 0, status = 0;
+	irqreturn_t ret, retval = IRQ_NONE;
+	unsigned int status = 0;
 
 	if (!(action->flags & SA_INTERRUPT))
 		local_irq_enable();