diff --git a/arch/arm/mach-at91/at91rm9200.c b/arch/arm/mach-at91/at91rm9200.c
index b4f0565aff63..a45473425f5e 100644
--- a/arch/arm/mach-at91/at91rm9200.c
+++ b/arch/arm/mach-at91/at91rm9200.c
@@ -361,10 +361,10 @@ static unsigned int at91rm9200_default_irq_priority[NR_AIC_IRQS] __initdata = {
 	0	/* Advanced Interrupt Controller (IRQ6) */
 };
 
-struct at91_init_soc __initdata at91rm9200_soc = {
+AT91_SOC_START(rm9200)
 	.map_io = at91rm9200_map_io,
 	.default_irq_priority = at91rm9200_default_irq_priority,
 	.ioremap_registers = at91rm9200_ioremap_registers,
 	.register_clocks = at91rm9200_register_clocks,
 	.init = at91rm9200_initialize,
-};
+AT91_SOC_END
diff --git a/arch/arm/mach-at91/at91sam9260.c b/arch/arm/mach-at91/at91sam9260.c
index ad29f93f20ca..1dc40620ccfa 100644
--- a/arch/arm/mach-at91/at91sam9260.c
+++ b/arch/arm/mach-at91/at91sam9260.c
@@ -390,10 +390,10 @@ static unsigned int at91sam9260_default_irq_priority[NR_AIC_IRQS] __initdata = {
 	0,	/* Advanced Interrupt Controller */
 };
 
-struct at91_init_soc __initdata at91sam9260_soc = {
+AT91_SOC_START(sam9260)
 	.map_io = at91sam9260_map_io,
 	.default_irq_priority = at91sam9260_default_irq_priority,
 	.ioremap_registers = at91sam9260_ioremap_registers,
 	.register_clocks = at91sam9260_register_clocks,
 	.init = at91sam9260_initialize,
-};
+AT91_SOC_END
diff --git a/arch/arm/mach-at91/at91sam9261.c b/arch/arm/mach-at91/at91sam9261.c
index 8d999eb1a137..93a24e921aff 100644
--- a/arch/arm/mach-at91/at91sam9261.c
+++ b/arch/arm/mach-at91/at91sam9261.c
@@ -334,10 +334,10 @@ static unsigned int at91sam9261_default_irq_priority[NR_AIC_IRQS] __initdata = {
 	0,	/* Advanced Interrupt Controller */
 };
 
-struct at91_init_soc __initdata at91sam9261_soc = {
+AT91_SOC_START(sam9261)
 	.map_io = at91sam9261_map_io,
 	.default_irq_priority = at91sam9261_default_irq_priority,
 	.ioremap_registers = at91sam9261_ioremap_registers,
 	.register_clocks = at91sam9261_register_clocks,
 	.init = at91sam9261_initialize,
-};
+AT91_SOC_END
diff --git a/arch/arm/mach-at91/at91sam9263.c b/arch/arm/mach-at91/at91sam9263.c
index 6a01d0360dfb..03cac586e36f 100644
--- a/arch/arm/mach-at91/at91sam9263.c
+++ b/arch/arm/mach-at91/at91sam9263.c
@@ -365,10 +365,10 @@ static unsigned int at91sam9263_default_irq_priority[NR_AIC_IRQS] __initdata = {
 	0,	/* Advanced Interrupt Controller (IRQ1) */
 };
 
-struct at91_init_soc __initdata at91sam9263_soc = {
+AT91_SOC_START(sam9263)
 	.map_io = at91sam9263_map_io,
 	.default_irq_priority = at91sam9263_default_irq_priority,
 	.ioremap_registers = at91sam9263_ioremap_registers,
 	.register_clocks = at91sam9263_register_clocks,
 	.init = at91sam9263_initialize,
-};
+AT91_SOC_END
diff --git a/arch/arm/mach-at91/at91sam9g45.c b/arch/arm/mach-at91/at91sam9g45.c
index 84af1b506d92..32504b9eed9d 100644
--- a/arch/arm/mach-at91/at91sam9g45.c
+++ b/arch/arm/mach-at91/at91sam9g45.c
@@ -409,10 +409,10 @@ static unsigned int at91sam9g45_default_irq_priority[NR_AIC_IRQS] __initdata = {
 	0,	/* Advanced Interrupt Controller (IRQ0) */
 };
 
-struct at91_init_soc __initdata at91sam9g45_soc = {
+AT91_SOC_START(sam9g45)
 	.map_io = at91sam9g45_map_io,
 	.default_irq_priority = at91sam9g45_default_irq_priority,
 	.ioremap_registers = at91sam9g45_ioremap_registers,
 	.register_clocks = at91sam9g45_register_clocks,
 	.init = at91sam9g45_initialize,
-};
+AT91_SOC_END
diff --git a/arch/arm/mach-at91/at91sam9n12.c b/arch/arm/mach-at91/at91sam9n12.c
index 732d3d3f4ec5..3905465f3abf 100644
--- a/arch/arm/mach-at91/at91sam9n12.c
+++ b/arch/arm/mach-at91/at91sam9n12.c
@@ -228,8 +228,8 @@ void __init at91sam9n12_initialize(void)
 	at91_gpio_init(NULL, 0);
 }
 
-struct at91_init_soc __initdata at91sam9n12_soc = {
+AT91_SOC_START(sam9n12)
 	.map_io = at91sam9n12_map_io,
 	.register_clocks = at91sam9n12_register_clocks,
 	.init = at91sam9n12_initialize,
-};
+AT91_SOC_END
diff --git a/arch/arm/mach-at91/at91sam9rl.c b/arch/arm/mach-at91/at91sam9rl.c
index 72e908412222..cbe72e44c13f 100644
--- a/arch/arm/mach-at91/at91sam9rl.c
+++ b/arch/arm/mach-at91/at91sam9rl.c
@@ -338,10 +338,10 @@ static unsigned int at91sam9rl_default_irq_priority[NR_AIC_IRQS] __initdata = {
 	0,	/* Advanced Interrupt Controller */
 };
 
-struct at91_init_soc __initdata at91sam9rl_soc = {
+AT91_SOC_START(sam9rl)
 	.map_io = at91sam9rl_map_io,
 	.default_irq_priority = at91sam9rl_default_irq_priority,
 	.ioremap_registers = at91sam9rl_ioremap_registers,
 	.register_clocks = at91sam9rl_register_clocks,
 	.init = at91sam9rl_initialize,
-};
+AT91_SOC_END
diff --git a/arch/arm/mach-at91/at91sam9x5.c b/arch/arm/mach-at91/at91sam9x5.c
index e5035380dcbc..f31d3a065d56 100644
--- a/arch/arm/mach-at91/at91sam9x5.c
+++ b/arch/arm/mach-at91/at91sam9x5.c
@@ -323,8 +323,8 @@ void __init at91sam9x5_initialize(void)
  *  Interrupt initialization
  * -------------------------------------------------------------------- */
 
-struct at91_init_soc __initdata at91sam9x5_soc = {
+AT91_SOC_START(sam9x5)
 	.map_io = at91sam9x5_map_io,
 	.register_clocks = at91sam9x5_register_clocks,
 	.init = at91sam9x5_initialize,
-};
+AT91_SOC_END
diff --git a/arch/arm/mach-at91/soc.h b/arch/arm/mach-at91/soc.h
index a9cfeb153719..9c6d3d4f9a23 100644
--- a/arch/arm/mach-at91/soc.h
+++ b/arch/arm/mach-at91/soc.h
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@
  */
 
 struct at91_init_soc {
+	int builtin;
 	unsigned int *default_irq_priority;
 	void (*map_io)(void);
 	void (*ioremap_registers)(void);
@@ -22,9 +23,18 @@ extern struct at91_init_soc at91sam9rl_soc;
 extern struct at91_init_soc at91sam9x5_soc;
 extern struct at91_init_soc at91sam9n12_soc;
 
+#define AT91_SOC_START(_name)				\
+struct at91_init_soc __initdata at91##_name##_soc	\
+ __used							\
+						= {	\
+	.builtin	= 1,				\
+
+#define AT91_SOC_END					\
+};
+
 static inline int at91_soc_is_enabled(void)
 {
-	return at91_boot_soc.init != NULL;
+	return at91_boot_soc.builtin;
 }
 
 #if !defined(CONFIG_SOC_AT91RM9200)