diff --git a/arch/x86/mm/numa_64.c b/arch/x86/mm/numa_64.c
index 2ea56f48f29..3f6c53c0e00 100644
--- a/arch/x86/mm/numa_64.c
+++ b/arch/x86/mm/numa_64.c
@@ -380,9 +380,10 @@ static int __init split_nodes_by_size(struct bootnode *nodes, u64 *addr,
  * Sets up the system RAM area from start_pfn to end_pfn according to the
  * numa=fake command-line option.
  */
+static struct bootnode nodes[MAX_NUMNODES] __initdata;
+
 static int __init numa_emulation(unsigned long start_pfn, unsigned long end_pfn)
 {
-	struct bootnode nodes[MAX_NUMNODES];
 	u64 size, addr = start_pfn << PAGE_SHIFT;
 	u64 max_addr = end_pfn << PAGE_SHIFT;
 	int num_nodes = 0, num = 0, coeff_flag, coeff = -1, i;