diff --git a/drivers/dio/dio-driver.c b/drivers/dio/dio-driver.c
index ca8e69d..e4c48e3 100644
--- a/drivers/dio/dio-driver.c
+++ b/drivers/dio/dio-driver.c
@@ -71,22 +71,17 @@
 	 *  @drv: the driver structure to register
 	 *
 	 *  Adds the driver structure to the list of registered drivers
-	 *  Returns the number of DIO devices which were claimed by the driver
-	 *  during registration.  The driver remains registered even if the
-	 *  return value is zero.
+	 *  Returns zero or a negative error value.
 	 */
 
 int dio_register_driver(struct dio_driver *drv)
 {
-	int count = 0;
-
 	/* initialize common driver fields */
 	drv->driver.name = drv->name;
 	drv->driver.bus = &dio_bus_type;
 
 	/* register with core */
-	count = driver_register(&drv->driver);
-	return count ? count : 1;
+	return driver_register(&drv->driver);
 }
 
 
diff --git a/drivers/net/hplance.c b/drivers/net/hplance.c
index d841063..6856934 100644
--- a/drivers/net/hplance.c
+++ b/drivers/net/hplance.c
@@ -217,7 +217,7 @@
 
 int __init hplance_init_module(void)
 {
-	return dio_module_init(&hplance_driver);
+	return dio_register_driver(&hplance_driver);
 }
 
 void __exit hplance_cleanup_module(void)
diff --git a/drivers/serial/8250_hp300.c b/drivers/serial/8250_hp300.c
index 4315afe..53e81a4 100644
--- a/drivers/serial/8250_hp300.c
+++ b/drivers/serial/8250_hp300.c
@@ -55,6 +55,8 @@
 
 #endif
 
+static unsigned int num_ports;
+
 extern int hp300_uart_scode;
 
 /* Offset to UART registers from base of DCA */
@@ -199,6 +201,8 @@
 	out_8(d->resource.start + DIO_VIRADDRBASE + DCA_ID, 0xff);
 	udelay(100);
 
+	num_ports++;
+
 	return 0;
 }
 #endif
@@ -206,7 +210,6 @@
 static int __init hp300_8250_init(void)
 {
 	static int called = 0;
-	int num_ports;
 #ifdef CONFIG_HPAPCI
 	int line;
 	unsigned long base;
@@ -221,11 +224,8 @@
 	if (!MACH_IS_HP300)
 		return -ENODEV;
 
-	num_ports = 0;
-
 #ifdef CONFIG_HPDCA
-	if (dio_module_init(&hpdca_driver) == 0)
-		num_ports++;
+	dio_register_driver(&hpdca_driver);
 #endif
 #ifdef CONFIG_HPAPCI
 	if (hp300_model < HP_400) {
diff --git a/drivers/video/hpfb.c b/drivers/video/hpfb.c
index bebdac5..abd920a 100644
--- a/drivers/video/hpfb.c
+++ b/drivers/video/hpfb.c
@@ -386,7 +386,9 @@
 	if (fb_get_options("hpfb", NULL))
 		return -ENODEV;
 
-	dio_module_init(&hpfb_driver);
+	err = dio_register_driver(&hpfb_driver);
+	if (err)
+		return err;
 
 	fs = get_fs();
 	set_fs(KERNEL_DS);
diff --git a/include/linux/dio.h b/include/linux/dio.h
index fae9395..1e65ebc 100644
--- a/include/linux/dio.h
+++ b/include/linux/dio.h
@@ -276,37 +276,5 @@
 	dev_set_drvdata(&d->dev, data);
 }
 
-/*
- * A helper function which helps ensure correct dio_driver
- * setup and cleanup for commonly-encountered hotplug/modular cases
- *
- * This MUST stay in a header, as it checks for -DMODULE
- */
-static inline int dio_module_init(struct dio_driver *drv)
-{
-	int rc = dio_register_driver(drv);
-
-	if (rc > 0)
-		return 0;
-
-	/* iff CONFIG_HOTPLUG and built into kernel, we should
-	 * leave the driver around for future hotplug events.
-	 * For the module case, a hotplug daemon of some sort
-	 * should load a module in response to an insert event. */
-#if defined(CONFIG_HOTPLUG) && !defined(MODULE)
-	if (rc == 0)
-		return 0;
-#else
-	if (rc == 0)
-		rc = -ENODEV;
-#endif
-
-	/* if we get here, we need to clean up DIO driver instance
-	 * and return some sort of error */
-	dio_unregister_driver(drv);
-
-	return rc;
-}
-
 #endif /* __KERNEL__ */
 #endif /* ndef _LINUX_DIO_H */