diff --git a/drivers/net/loopback.c b/drivers/net/loopback.c
index 0e2252fd71ab..588092e13186 100644
--- a/drivers/net/loopback.c
+++ b/drivers/net/loopback.c
@@ -202,7 +202,7 @@ static const struct ethtool_ops loopback_ethtool_ops = {
  * The loopback device is special. There is only one instance and
  * it is statically allocated. Don't do this for other devices.
  */
-struct net_device loopback_dev = {
+struct net_device __loopback_dev = {
 	.name	 		= "lo",
 	.get_stats		= &get_stats,
 	.mtu			= (16 * 1024) + 20 + 20 + 12,
@@ -227,10 +227,12 @@ struct net_device loopback_dev = {
 	.nd_net                 = &init_net,
 };
 
+struct net_device *loopback_dev = &__loopback_dev;
+
 /* Setup and register the loopback device. */
 static int __init loopback_init(void)
 {
-	int err = register_netdev(&loopback_dev);
+	int err = register_netdev(loopback_dev);
 
 	if (err)
 		panic("loopback: Failed to register netdevice: %d\n", err);
diff --git a/include/linux/netdevice.h b/include/linux/netdevice.h
index cf89ce677e41..baa915f0d285 100644
--- a/include/linux/netdevice.h
+++ b/include/linux/netdevice.h
@@ -741,7 +741,7 @@ struct packet_type {
 #include <linux/interrupt.h>
 #include <linux/notifier.h>
 
-extern struct net_device		loopback_dev;		/* The loopback */
+extern struct net_device		*loopback_dev;		/* The loopback */
 extern rwlock_t				dev_base_lock;		/* Device list lock */
 
 
diff --git a/net/core/dst.c b/net/core/dst.c
index 38c741ac5d08..ad5ffa19d809 100644
--- a/net/core/dst.c
+++ b/net/core/dst.c
@@ -278,13 +278,13 @@ static inline void dst_ifdown(struct dst_entry *dst, struct net_device *dev,
 	if (!unregister) {
 		dst->input = dst->output = dst_discard;
 	} else {
-		dst->dev = &loopback_dev;
-		dev_hold(&loopback_dev);
+		dst->dev = loopback_dev;
+		dev_hold(dst->dev);
 		dev_put(dev);
 		if (dst->neighbour && dst->neighbour->dev == dev) {
-			dst->neighbour->dev = &loopback_dev;
+			dst->neighbour->dev = loopback_dev;
 			dev_put(dev);
-			dev_hold(&loopback_dev);
+			dev_hold(dst->neighbour->dev);
 		}
 	}
 }
diff --git a/net/decnet/dn_dev.c b/net/decnet/dn_dev.c
index fa24614b5a37..bcaf4c5aa68e 100644
--- a/net/decnet/dn_dev.c
+++ b/net/decnet/dn_dev.c
@@ -869,10 +869,10 @@ last_chance:
 		rv = dn_dev_get_first(dev, addr);
 		read_unlock(&dev_base_lock);
 		dev_put(dev);
-		if (rv == 0 || dev == &loopback_dev)
+		if (rv == 0 || dev == loopback_dev)
 			return rv;
 	}
-	dev = &loopback_dev;
+	dev = loopback_dev;
 	dev_hold(dev);
 	goto last_chance;
 }
diff --git a/net/decnet/dn_route.c b/net/decnet/dn_route.c
index 70b1c3fa00f3..96fe0aa1638e 100644
--- a/net/decnet/dn_route.c
+++ b/net/decnet/dn_route.c
@@ -887,7 +887,7 @@ static int dn_route_output_slow(struct dst_entry **pprt, const struct flowi *old
 					.scope = RT_SCOPE_UNIVERSE,
 				     } },
 			    .mark = oldflp->mark,
-			    .iif = loopback_dev.ifindex,
+			    .iif = loopback_dev->ifindex,
 			    .oif = oldflp->oif };
 	struct dn_route *rt = NULL;
 	struct net_device *dev_out = NULL, *dev;
@@ -904,7 +904,7 @@ static int dn_route_output_slow(struct dst_entry **pprt, const struct flowi *old
 		       "dn_route_output_slow: dst=%04x src=%04x mark=%d"
 		       " iif=%d oif=%d\n", dn_ntohs(oldflp->fld_dst),
 		       dn_ntohs(oldflp->fld_src),
-		       oldflp->mark, loopback_dev.ifindex, oldflp->oif);
+		       oldflp->mark, loopback_dev->ifindex, oldflp->oif);
 
 	/* If we have an output interface, verify its a DECnet device */
 	if (oldflp->oif) {
@@ -957,7 +957,7 @@ source_ok:
 		err = -EADDRNOTAVAIL;
 		if (dev_out)
 			dev_put(dev_out);
-		dev_out = &loopback_dev;
+		dev_out = loopback_dev;
 		dev_hold(dev_out);
 		if (!fl.fld_dst) {
 			fl.fld_dst =
@@ -966,7 +966,7 @@ source_ok:
 			if (!fl.fld_dst)
 				goto out;
 		}
-		fl.oif = loopback_dev.ifindex;
+		fl.oif = loopback_dev->ifindex;
 		res.type = RTN_LOCAL;
 		goto make_route;
 	}
@@ -1012,7 +1012,7 @@ source_ok:
 					if (dev_out)
 						dev_put(dev_out);
 					if (dn_dev_islocal(neigh->dev, fl.fld_dst)) {
-						dev_out = &loopback_dev;
+						dev_out = loopback_dev;
 						res.type = RTN_LOCAL;
 					} else {
 						dev_out = neigh->dev;
@@ -1033,7 +1033,7 @@ source_ok:
 		/* Possible improvement - check all devices for local addr */
 		if (dn_dev_islocal(dev_out, fl.fld_dst)) {
 			dev_put(dev_out);
-			dev_out = &loopback_dev;
+			dev_out = loopback_dev;
 			dev_hold(dev_out);
 			res.type = RTN_LOCAL;
 			goto select_source;
@@ -1069,7 +1069,7 @@ select_source:
 			fl.fld_src = fl.fld_dst;
 		if (dev_out)
 			dev_put(dev_out);
-		dev_out = &loopback_dev;
+		dev_out = loopback_dev;
 		dev_hold(dev_out);
 		fl.oif = dev_out->ifindex;
 		if (res.fi)
diff --git a/net/ipv4/devinet.c b/net/ipv4/devinet.c
index 721b89b60963..affea9b121fc 100644
--- a/net/ipv4/devinet.c
+++ b/net/ipv4/devinet.c
@@ -203,7 +203,7 @@ static void inetdev_destroy(struct in_device *in_dev)
 	ASSERT_RTNL();
 
 	dev = in_dev->dev;
-	if (dev == &loopback_dev)
+	if (dev == loopback_dev)
 		return;
 
 	in_dev->dead = 1;
@@ -1061,7 +1061,7 @@ static int inetdev_event(struct notifier_block *this, unsigned long event,
 			in_dev = inetdev_init(dev);
 			if (!in_dev)
 				return notifier_from_errno(-ENOMEM);
-			if (dev == &loopback_dev) {
+			if (dev == loopback_dev) {
 				IN_DEV_CONF_SET(in_dev, NOXFRM, 1);
 				IN_DEV_CONF_SET(in_dev, NOPOLICY, 1);
 			}
@@ -1077,7 +1077,7 @@ static int inetdev_event(struct notifier_block *this, unsigned long event,
 	case NETDEV_UP:
 		if (dev->mtu < 68)
 			break;
-		if (dev == &loopback_dev) {
+		if (dev == loopback_dev) {
 			struct in_ifaddr *ifa;
 			if ((ifa = inet_alloc_ifa()) != NULL) {
 				ifa->ifa_local =
diff --git a/net/ipv4/ipconfig.c b/net/ipv4/ipconfig.c
index 4303851749f6..2d2e0cda0470 100644
--- a/net/ipv4/ipconfig.c
+++ b/net/ipv4/ipconfig.c
@@ -190,11 +190,11 @@ static int __init ic_open_devs(void)
 	rtnl_lock();
 
 	/* bring loopback device up first */
-	if (dev_change_flags(&loopback_dev, loopback_dev.flags | IFF_UP) < 0)
-		printk(KERN_ERR "IP-Config: Failed to open %s\n", loopback_dev.name);
+	if (dev_change_flags(loopback_dev, loopback_dev->flags | IFF_UP) < 0)
+		printk(KERN_ERR "IP-Config: Failed to open %s\n", loopback_dev->name);
 
 	for_each_netdev(&init_net, dev) {
-		if (dev == &loopback_dev)
+		if (dev == loopback_dev)
 			continue;
 		if (user_dev_name[0] ? !strcmp(dev->name, user_dev_name) :
 		    (!(dev->flags & IFF_LOOPBACK) &&
diff --git a/net/ipv4/ipvs/ip_vs_core.c b/net/ipv4/ipvs/ip_vs_core.c
index f005a2f929f4..74503267e5d4 100644
--- a/net/ipv4/ipvs/ip_vs_core.c
+++ b/net/ipv4/ipvs/ip_vs_core.c
@@ -961,7 +961,7 @@ ip_vs_in(unsigned int hooknum, struct sk_buff **pskb,
 	 *	... don't know why 1st test DOES NOT include 2nd (?)
 	 */
 	if (unlikely(skb->pkt_type != PACKET_HOST
-		     || skb->dev == &loopback_dev || skb->sk)) {
+		     || skb->dev == loopback_dev || skb->sk)) {
 		IP_VS_DBG(12, "packet type=%d proto=%d daddr=%d.%d.%d.%d ignored\n",
 			  skb->pkt_type,
 			  ip_hdr(skb)->protocol,
diff --git a/net/ipv4/route.c b/net/ipv4/route.c
index 006d6058a806..ca2878dc6188 100644
--- a/net/ipv4/route.c
+++ b/net/ipv4/route.c
@@ -1402,8 +1402,8 @@ static void ipv4_dst_ifdown(struct dst_entry *dst, struct net_device *dev,
 {
 	struct rtable *rt = (struct rtable *) dst;
 	struct in_device *idev = rt->idev;
-	if (dev != &loopback_dev && idev && idev->dev == dev) {
-		struct in_device *loopback_idev = in_dev_get(&loopback_dev);
+	if (dev != loopback_dev && idev && idev->dev == dev) {
+		struct in_device *loopback_idev = in_dev_get(loopback_dev);
 		if (loopback_idev) {
 			rt->idev = loopback_idev;
 			in_dev_put(idev);
@@ -1555,7 +1555,7 @@ static int ip_route_input_mc(struct sk_buff *skb, __be32 daddr, __be32 saddr,
 #endif
 	rth->rt_iif	=
 	rth->fl.iif	= dev->ifindex;
-	rth->u.dst.dev	= &loopback_dev;
+	rth->u.dst.dev	= loopback_dev;
 	dev_hold(rth->u.dst.dev);
 	rth->idev	= in_dev_get(rth->u.dst.dev);
 	rth->fl.oif	= 0;
@@ -1812,7 +1812,7 @@ static int ip_route_input_slow(struct sk_buff *skb, __be32 daddr, __be32 saddr,
 	if (res.type == RTN_LOCAL) {
 		int result;
 		result = fib_validate_source(saddr, daddr, tos,
-					     loopback_dev.ifindex,
+					     loopback_dev->ifindex,
 					     dev, &spec_dst, &itag);
 		if (result < 0)
 			goto martian_source;
@@ -1879,7 +1879,7 @@ local_input:
 #endif
 	rth->rt_iif	=
 	rth->fl.iif	= dev->ifindex;
-	rth->u.dst.dev	= &loopback_dev;
+	rth->u.dst.dev	= loopback_dev;
 	dev_hold(rth->u.dst.dev);
 	rth->idev	= in_dev_get(rth->u.dst.dev);
 	rth->rt_gateway	= daddr;
@@ -2149,7 +2149,7 @@ static int ip_route_output_slow(struct rtable **rp, const struct flowi *oldflp)
 						  RT_SCOPE_UNIVERSE),
 				      } },
 			    .mark = oldflp->mark,
-			    .iif = loopback_dev.ifindex,
+			    .iif = loopback_dev->ifindex,
 			    .oif = oldflp->oif };
 	struct fib_result res;
 	unsigned flags = 0;
@@ -2243,9 +2243,9 @@ static int ip_route_output_slow(struct rtable **rp, const struct flowi *oldflp)
 			fl.fl4_dst = fl.fl4_src = htonl(INADDR_LOOPBACK);
 		if (dev_out)
 			dev_put(dev_out);
-		dev_out = &loopback_dev;
+		dev_out = loopback_dev;
 		dev_hold(dev_out);
-		fl.oif = loopback_dev.ifindex;
+		fl.oif = loopback_dev->ifindex;
 		res.type = RTN_LOCAL;
 		flags |= RTCF_LOCAL;
 		goto make_route;
@@ -2290,7 +2290,7 @@ static int ip_route_output_slow(struct rtable **rp, const struct flowi *oldflp)
 			fl.fl4_src = fl.fl4_dst;
 		if (dev_out)
 			dev_put(dev_out);
-		dev_out = &loopback_dev;
+		dev_out = loopback_dev;
 		dev_hold(dev_out);
 		fl.oif = dev_out->ifindex;
 		if (res.fi)
diff --git a/net/ipv4/xfrm4_policy.c b/net/ipv4/xfrm4_policy.c
index 4ff8ed30024f..29ab3de8c47f 100644
--- a/net/ipv4/xfrm4_policy.c
+++ b/net/ipv4/xfrm4_policy.c
@@ -306,7 +306,7 @@ static void xfrm4_dst_ifdown(struct dst_entry *dst, struct net_device *dev,
 
 	xdst = (struct xfrm_dst *)dst;
 	if (xdst->u.rt.idev->dev == dev) {
-		struct in_device *loopback_idev = in_dev_get(&loopback_dev);
+		struct in_device *loopback_idev = in_dev_get(loopback_dev);
 		BUG_ON(!loopback_idev);
 
 		do {
diff --git a/net/ipv6/addrconf.c b/net/ipv6/addrconf.c
index 9c2e94f1c637..b43574f73375 100644
--- a/net/ipv6/addrconf.c
+++ b/net/ipv6/addrconf.c
@@ -2410,7 +2410,7 @@ static int addrconf_ifdown(struct net_device *dev, int how)
 
 	ASSERT_RTNL();
 
-	if (dev == &loopback_dev && how == 1)
+	if (dev == loopback_dev && how == 1)
 		how = 0;
 
 	rt6_ifdown(dev);
@@ -4212,16 +4212,19 @@ int __init addrconf_init(void)
 	 * device and it being up should be removed.
 	 */
 	rtnl_lock();
-	if (!ipv6_add_dev(&loopback_dev))
+	if (!ipv6_add_dev(loopback_dev))
 		err = -ENOMEM;
 	rtnl_unlock();
 	if (err)
 		return err;
 
-	ip6_null_entry.rt6i_idev = in6_dev_get(&loopback_dev);
+	ip6_null_entry.u.dst.dev = loopback_dev;
+	ip6_null_entry.rt6i_idev = in6_dev_get(loopback_dev);
 #ifdef CONFIG_IPV6_MULTIPLE_TABLES
-	ip6_prohibit_entry.rt6i_idev = in6_dev_get(&loopback_dev);
-	ip6_blk_hole_entry.rt6i_idev = in6_dev_get(&loopback_dev);
+	ip6_prohibit_entry.u.dst.dev = loopback_dev;
+	ip6_prohibit_entry.rt6i_idev = in6_dev_get(loopback_dev);
+	ip6_blk_hole_entry.u.dst.dev = loopback_dev;
+	ip6_blk_hole_entry.rt6i_idev = in6_dev_get(loopback_dev);
 #endif
 
 	register_netdevice_notifier(&ipv6_dev_notf);
@@ -4276,7 +4279,7 @@ void __exit addrconf_cleanup(void)
 			continue;
 		addrconf_ifdown(dev, 1);
 	}
-	addrconf_ifdown(&loopback_dev, 2);
+	addrconf_ifdown(loopback_dev, 2);
 
 	/*
 	 *	Check hash table.
diff --git a/net/ipv6/ip6_input.c b/net/ipv6/ip6_input.c
index 7d18cac3f110..9149fc239759 100644
--- a/net/ipv6/ip6_input.c
+++ b/net/ipv6/ip6_input.c
@@ -91,7 +91,7 @@ int ipv6_rcv(struct sk_buff *skb, struct net_device *dev, struct packet_type *pt
 	 *
 	 * BTW, when we send a packet for our own local address on a
 	 * non-loopback interface (e.g. ethX), it is being delivered
-	 * via the loopback interface (lo) here; skb->dev = &loopback_dev.
+	 * via the loopback interface (lo) here; skb->dev = loopback_dev.
 	 * It, however, should be considered as if it is being
 	 * arrived via the sending interface (ethX), because of the
 	 * nature of scoping architecture. --yoshfuji
diff --git a/net/ipv6/netfilter/ip6t_REJECT.c b/net/ipv6/netfilter/ip6t_REJECT.c
index 2f487cda3b6b..50860531cd3c 100644
--- a/net/ipv6/netfilter/ip6t_REJECT.c
+++ b/net/ipv6/netfilter/ip6t_REJECT.c
@@ -167,7 +167,7 @@ static inline void
 send_unreach(struct sk_buff *skb_in, unsigned char code, unsigned int hooknum)
 {
 	if (hooknum == NF_IP6_LOCAL_OUT && skb_in->dev == NULL)
-		skb_in->dev = &loopback_dev;
+		skb_in->dev = loopback_dev;
 
 	icmpv6_send(skb_in, ICMPV6_DEST_UNREACH, code, 0, NULL);
 }
diff --git a/net/ipv6/route.c b/net/ipv6/route.c
index 104070e92cea..a7a21a7ba790 100644
--- a/net/ipv6/route.c
+++ b/net/ipv6/route.c
@@ -138,7 +138,6 @@ struct rt6_info ip6_null_entry = {
 		.dst = {
 			.__refcnt	= ATOMIC_INIT(1),
 			.__use		= 1,
-			.dev		= &loopback_dev,
 			.obsolete	= -1,
 			.error		= -ENETUNREACH,
 			.metrics	= { [RTAX_HOPLIMIT - 1] = 255, },
@@ -164,7 +163,6 @@ struct rt6_info ip6_prohibit_entry = {
 		.dst = {
 			.__refcnt	= ATOMIC_INIT(1),
 			.__use		= 1,
-			.dev		= &loopback_dev,
 			.obsolete	= -1,
 			.error		= -EACCES,
 			.metrics	= { [RTAX_HOPLIMIT - 1] = 255, },
@@ -184,7 +182,6 @@ struct rt6_info ip6_blk_hole_entry = {
 		.dst = {
 			.__refcnt	= ATOMIC_INIT(1),
 			.__use		= 1,
-			.dev		= &loopback_dev,
 			.obsolete	= -1,
 			.error		= -EINVAL,
 			.metrics	= { [RTAX_HOPLIMIT - 1] = 255, },
@@ -224,8 +221,8 @@ static void ip6_dst_ifdown(struct dst_entry *dst, struct net_device *dev,
 	struct rt6_info *rt = (struct rt6_info *)dst;
 	struct inet6_dev *idev = rt->rt6i_idev;
 
-	if (dev != &loopback_dev && idev != NULL && idev->dev == dev) {
-		struct inet6_dev *loopback_idev = in6_dev_get(&loopback_dev);
+	if (dev != loopback_dev && idev != NULL && idev->dev == dev) {
+		struct inet6_dev *loopback_idev = in6_dev_get(loopback_dev);
 		if (loopback_idev != NULL) {
 			rt->rt6i_idev = loopback_idev;
 			in6_dev_put(idev);
@@ -1188,12 +1185,12 @@ int ip6_route_add(struct fib6_config *cfg)
 	if ((cfg->fc_flags & RTF_REJECT) ||
 	    (dev && (dev->flags&IFF_LOOPBACK) && !(addr_type&IPV6_ADDR_LOOPBACK))) {
 		/* hold loopback dev/idev if we haven't done so. */
-		if (dev != &loopback_dev) {
+		if (dev != loopback_dev) {
 			if (dev) {
 				dev_put(dev);
 				in6_dev_put(idev);
 			}
-			dev = &loopback_dev;
+			dev = loopback_dev;
 			dev_hold(dev);
 			idev = in6_dev_get(dev);
 			if (!idev) {
@@ -1897,13 +1894,13 @@ struct rt6_info *addrconf_dst_alloc(struct inet6_dev *idev,
 	if (rt == NULL)
 		return ERR_PTR(-ENOMEM);
 
-	dev_hold(&loopback_dev);
+	dev_hold(loopback_dev);
 	in6_dev_hold(idev);
 
 	rt->u.dst.flags = DST_HOST;
 	rt->u.dst.input = ip6_input;
 	rt->u.dst.output = ip6_output;
-	rt->rt6i_dev = &loopback_dev;
+	rt->rt6i_dev = loopback_dev;
 	rt->rt6i_idev = idev;
 	rt->u.dst.metrics[RTAX_MTU-1] = ipv6_get_mtu(rt->rt6i_dev);
 	rt->u.dst.metrics[RTAX_ADVMSS-1] = ipv6_advmss(dst_mtu(&rt->u.dst));
diff --git a/net/ipv6/xfrm6_policy.c b/net/ipv6/xfrm6_policy.c
index 3ec0c4770ee3..cc07216cfd59 100644
--- a/net/ipv6/xfrm6_policy.c
+++ b/net/ipv6/xfrm6_policy.c
@@ -375,7 +375,7 @@ static void xfrm6_dst_ifdown(struct dst_entry *dst, struct net_device *dev,
 
 	xdst = (struct xfrm_dst *)dst;
 	if (xdst->u.rt6.rt6i_idev->dev == dev) {
-		struct inet6_dev *loopback_idev = in6_dev_get(&loopback_dev);
+		struct inet6_dev *loopback_idev = in6_dev_get(loopback_dev);
 		BUG_ON(!loopback_idev);
 
 		do {
diff --git a/net/xfrm/xfrm_policy.c b/net/xfrm/xfrm_policy.c
index 50682d3cd7a9..d6dfd7d1948f 100644
--- a/net/xfrm/xfrm_policy.c
+++ b/net/xfrm/xfrm_policy.c
@@ -1949,8 +1949,8 @@ static int stale_bundle(struct dst_entry *dst)
 void xfrm_dst_ifdown(struct dst_entry *dst, struct net_device *dev)
 {
 	while ((dst = dst->child) && dst->xfrm && dst->dev == dev) {
-		dst->dev = &loopback_dev;
-		dev_hold(&loopback_dev);
+		dst->dev = loopback_dev;
+		dev_hold(dst->dev);
 		dev_put(dev);
 	}
 }