diff --git a/scripts/checkpatch.pl b/scripts/checkpatch.pl
index 5420db6502fc..cf70f123f574 100755
--- a/scripts/checkpatch.pl
+++ b/scripts/checkpatch.pl
@@ -2108,6 +2108,10 @@ sub process {
 		if ($line =~ /\bsimple_(strto.*?)\s*\(/) {
 			WARN("consider using strict_$1 in preference to simple_$1\n" . $herecurr);
 		}
+# check for __initcall(), use device_initcall() explicitly please
+		if ($line =~ /^.\s*__initcall\s*\(/) {
+			WARN("please use device_initcall() instead of __initcall()\n" . $herecurr);
+		}
 
 # use of NR_CPUS is usually wrong
 # ignore definitions of NR_CPUS and usage to define arrays as likely right