diff --git a/arch/mips/atheros/misc.c b/arch/mips/atheros/misc.c
index 2bceb24..0f883a6 100755
--- a/arch/mips/atheros/misc.c
+++ b/arch/mips/atheros/misc.c
@@ -739,6 +739,14 @@
 	ath_spi_wait_done();
 }
 
+static int __init _ath_spi_init(void)
+{
+  ath_spi_init();
+  printk(KERN_NOTICE "ath_spi module initialized\n");
+  return 0;
+}
+
+subsys_initcall(_ath_spi_init);
 EXPORT_SYMBOL(ath_spi_flash_read_page);
 EXPORT_SYMBOL(ath_spi_flash_write_page);
 EXPORT_SYMBOL(ath_spi_flash_sector_erase);
diff --git a/drivers/mtd/devices/ath_flash.c b/drivers/mtd/devices/ath_flash.c
index 90fb0f3..420e472e 100755
--- a/drivers/mtd/devices/ath_flash.c
+++ b/drivers/mtd/devices/ath_flash.c
@@ -324,12 +324,6 @@
 	struct mtd_partition *mtd_parts;
 	uint8_t index;
 
-        /*
-         * TODO(awdavies) This needs to be moved to a common module outside of
-         * ath_flash.c
-         */
-        ath_spi_init();
-
 #if !(defined(CONFIG_MACH_AR934x) || defined(CONFIG_MACH_QCA955x) || defined(CONFIG_MACH_QCA953x) || defined(CONFIG_MACH_QCA956x))
 #if defined(ATH_SST_FLASH)
 	ath_reg_wr_nf(ATH_SPI_CLOCK, 0x3);