diff --git a/net/ethtool/netlink.c b/net/ethtool/netlink.c
index 123f9639effc..9e8957a7a3d0 100644
--- a/net/ethtool/netlink.c
+++ b/net/ethtool/netlink.c
@@ -838,7 +838,7 @@ static const struct genl_multicast_group ethtool_nl_mcgrps[] = {
 	[ETHNL_MCGRP_MONITOR] = { .name = ETHTOOL_MCGRP_MONITOR_NAME },
 };
 
-static struct genl_family ethtool_genl_family = {
+static struct genl_family ethtool_genl_family __ro_after_init = {
 	.name		= ETHTOOL_GENL_NAME,
 	.version	= ETHTOOL_GENL_VERSION,
 	.netnsok	= true,