diff --git a/include/linux/skbuff.h b/include/linux/skbuff.h
index 97f6580ce039..971677178e0c 100644
--- a/include/linux/skbuff.h
+++ b/include/linux/skbuff.h
@@ -32,7 +32,6 @@
 
 #define HAVE_ALLOC_SKB		/* For the drivers to know */
 #define HAVE_ALIGNABLE_SKB	/* Ditto 8)		   */
-#define SLAB_SKB 		/* Slabified skbuffs 	   */
 
 #define CHECKSUM_NONE 0
 #define CHECKSUM_HW 1
diff --git a/include/linux/socket.h b/include/linux/socket.h
index 1739c2d5b95b..9f4019156fd8 100644
--- a/include/linux/socket.h
+++ b/include/linux/socket.h
@@ -27,7 +27,6 @@ struct __kernel_sockaddr_storage {
 #include <linux/compiler.h>		/* __user			*/
 
 extern int sysctl_somaxconn;
-extern void sock_init(void);
 #ifdef CONFIG_PROC_FS
 struct seq_file;
 extern void socket_seq_show(struct seq_file *seq);
diff --git a/init/main.c b/init/main.c
index 27f97f9b4636..54aaf561cf66 100644
--- a/init/main.c
+++ b/init/main.c
@@ -47,7 +47,6 @@
 #include <linux/rmap.h>
 #include <linux/mempolicy.h>
 #include <linux/key.h>
-#include <net/sock.h>
 
 #include <asm/io.h>
 #include <asm/bugs.h>
@@ -614,9 +613,6 @@ static void __init do_basic_setup(void)
 	sysctl_init();
 #endif
 
-	/* Networking initialization needs a process context */ 
-	sock_init();
-
 	do_initcalls();
 }
 
diff --git a/net/socket.c b/net/socket.c
index 3145103cdf54..98be7ef3c086 100644
--- a/net/socket.c
+++ b/net/socket.c
@@ -2036,7 +2036,7 @@ int sock_unregister(int family)
 	return 0;
 }
 
-void __init sock_init(void)
+static int __init sock_init(void)
 {
 	/*
 	 *	Initialize sock SLAB cache.
@@ -2044,12 +2044,10 @@ void __init sock_init(void)
 	 
 	sk_init();
 
-#ifdef SLAB_SKB
 	/*
 	 *	Initialize skbuff SLAB cache 
 	 */
 	skb_init();
-#endif
 
 	/*
 	 *	Initialize the protocols module. 
@@ -2058,8 +2056,8 @@ void __init sock_init(void)
 	init_inodecache();
 	register_filesystem(&sock_fs_type);
 	sock_mnt = kern_mount(&sock_fs_type);
-	/* The real protocol initialization is performed when
-	 *  do_initcalls is run.  
+
+	/* The real protocol initialization is performed in later initcalls.
 	 */
 
 #ifdef CONFIG_NETFILTER
@@ -2067,6 +2065,8 @@ void __init sock_init(void)
 #endif
 }
 
+core_initcall(sock_init);	/* early initcall */
+
 #ifdef CONFIG_PROC_FS
 void socket_seq_show(struct seq_file *seq)
 {