diff --git a/net/core/Makefile b/net/core/Makefile
index ea9b3f32d1c0..b1332f6d0042 100644
--- a/net/core/Makefile
+++ b/net/core/Makefile
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ obj-y		     += dev.o ethtool.o dev_mcast.o dst.o netevent.o \
 			neighbour.o rtnetlink.o utils.o link_watch.o filter.o
 
 obj-$(CONFIG_XFRM) += flow.o
-obj-$(CONFIG_SYSFS) += net-sysfs.o
+obj-y += net-sysfs.o
 obj-$(CONFIG_NET_PKTGEN) += pktgen.o
 obj-$(CONFIG_NETPOLL) += netpoll.o
 obj-$(CONFIG_NET_DMA) += user_dma.o
diff --git a/net/core/dev.c b/net/core/dev.c
index 080d32c4034f..3923d5133050 100644
--- a/net/core/dev.c
+++ b/net/core/dev.c
@@ -249,15 +249,9 @@ static RAW_NOTIFIER_HEAD(netdev_chain);
 
 DEFINE_PER_CPU(struct softnet_data, softnet_data);
 
-#ifdef CONFIG_SYSFS
-extern int netdev_sysfs_init(void);
-extern int netdev_register_sysfs(struct net_device *);
-extern void netdev_unregister_sysfs(struct net_device *);
-#else
-#define netdev_sysfs_init()	 	(0)
-#define netdev_register_sysfs(dev)	(0)
-#define	netdev_unregister_sysfs(dev)	do { } while(0)
-#endif
+extern int netdev_kobject_init(void);
+extern int netdev_register_kobject(struct net_device *);
+extern void netdev_unregister_kobject(struct net_device *);
 
 #ifdef CONFIG_DEBUG_LOCK_ALLOC
 /*
@@ -3575,7 +3569,7 @@ int register_netdevice(struct net_device *dev)
 	if (!dev->rebuild_header)
 		dev->rebuild_header = default_rebuild_header;
 
-	ret = netdev_register_sysfs(dev);
+	ret = netdev_register_kobject(dev);
 	if (ret)
 		goto err_uninit;
 	dev->reg_state = NETREG_REGISTERED;
@@ -3838,7 +3832,6 @@ EXPORT_SYMBOL(alloc_netdev_mq);
  */
 void free_netdev(struct net_device *dev)
 {
-#ifdef CONFIG_SYSFS
 	/*  Compatibility with error handling in drivers */
 	if (dev->reg_state == NETREG_UNINITIALIZED) {
 		kfree((char *)dev - dev->padded);
@@ -3850,9 +3843,6 @@ void free_netdev(struct net_device *dev)
 
 	/* will free via device release */
 	put_device(&dev->dev);
-#else
-	kfree((char *)dev - dev->padded);
-#endif
 }
 
 /* Synchronize with packet receive processing. */
@@ -3921,8 +3911,8 @@ void unregister_netdevice(struct net_device *dev)
 	/* Notifier chain MUST detach us from master device. */
 	BUG_TRAP(!dev->master);
 
-	/* Remove entries from sysfs */
-	netdev_unregister_sysfs(dev);
+	/* Remove entries from kobject tree */
+	netdev_unregister_kobject(dev);
 
 	/* Finish processing unregister after unlock */
 	net_set_todo(dev);
@@ -4053,9 +4043,9 @@ int dev_change_net_namespace(struct net_device *dev, struct net *net, const char
 			dev->iflink = dev->ifindex;
 	}
 
-	/* Fixup sysfs */
+	/* Fixup kobjects */
 	err = device_rename(&dev->dev, dev->name);
-	BUG_ON(err);
+	WARN_ON(err);
 
 	/* Add the device back in the hashes */
 	list_netdevice(dev);
@@ -4358,7 +4348,7 @@ static int __init net_dev_init(void)
 	if (dev_proc_init())
 		goto out;
 
-	if (netdev_sysfs_init())
+	if (netdev_kobject_init())
 		goto out;
 
 	INIT_LIST_HEAD(&ptype_all);
diff --git a/net/core/net-sysfs.c b/net/core/net-sysfs.c
index 79159db6acb9..909a03d6c0e9 100644
--- a/net/core/net-sysfs.c
+++ b/net/core/net-sysfs.c
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@
 #include <linux/wireless.h>
 #include <net/iw_handler.h>
 
+#ifdef CONFIG_SYSFS
 static const char fmt_hex[] = "%#x\n";
 static const char fmt_long_hex[] = "%#lx\n";
 static const char fmt_dec[] = "%d\n";
@@ -392,6 +393,8 @@ static struct attribute_group wireless_group = {
 };
 #endif
 
+#endif /* CONFIG_SYSFS */
+
 #ifdef CONFIG_HOTPLUG
 static int netdev_uevent(struct device *d, char **envp,
 			 int num_envp, char *buf, int size)
@@ -435,7 +438,9 @@ static void netdev_release(struct device *d)
 static struct class net_class = {
 	.name = "net",
 	.dev_release = netdev_release,
+#ifdef CONFIG_SYSFS
 	.dev_attrs = net_class_attributes,
+#endif /* CONFIG_SYSFS */
 #ifdef CONFIG_HOTPLUG
 	.dev_uevent = netdev_uevent,
 #endif
@@ -444,7 +449,7 @@ static struct class net_class = {
 /* Delete sysfs entries but hold kobject reference until after all
  * netdev references are gone.
  */
-void netdev_unregister_sysfs(struct net_device * net)
+void netdev_unregister_kobject(struct net_device * net)
 {
 	struct device *dev = &(net->dev);
 
@@ -453,7 +458,7 @@ void netdev_unregister_sysfs(struct net_device * net)
 }
 
 /* Create sysfs entries for network device. */
-int netdev_register_sysfs(struct net_device *net)
+int netdev_register_kobject(struct net_device *net)
 {
 	struct device *dev = &(net->dev);
 	struct attribute_group **groups = net->sysfs_groups;
@@ -466,6 +471,7 @@ int netdev_register_sysfs(struct net_device *net)
 	BUILD_BUG_ON(BUS_ID_SIZE < IFNAMSIZ);
 	strlcpy(dev->bus_id, net->name, BUS_ID_SIZE);
 
+#ifdef CONFIG_SYSFS
 	if (net->get_stats)
 		*groups++ = &netstat_group;
 
@@ -473,11 +479,12 @@ int netdev_register_sysfs(struct net_device *net)
 	if (net->wireless_handlers && net->wireless_handlers->get_wireless_stats)
 		*groups++ = &wireless_group;
 #endif
+#endif /* CONFIG_SYSFS */
 
 	return device_add(dev);
 }
 
-int netdev_sysfs_init(void)
+int netdev_kobject_init(void)
 {
 	return class_register(&net_class);
 }