diff --git a/drivers/gpio/mcp23s08.c b/drivers/gpio/mcp23s08.c
index 8a1b405..89c1d22 100644
--- a/drivers/gpio/mcp23s08.c
+++ b/drivers/gpio/mcp23s08.c
@@ -419,7 +419,10 @@
 {
 	return spi_register_driver(&mcp23s08_driver);
 }
-module_init(mcp23s08_init);
+/* register after spi postcore initcall and before
+ * subsys initcalls that may rely on these GPIOs
+ */
+subsys_initcall(mcp23s08_init);
 
 static void __exit mcp23s08_exit(void)
 {