diff --git a/arch/mips/cavium-octeon/setup.c b/arch/mips/cavium-octeon/setup.c
index dba7cf7656c7..38f4c32e2816 100644
--- a/arch/mips/cavium-octeon/setup.c
+++ b/arch/mips/cavium-octeon/setup.c
@@ -457,6 +457,18 @@ static void octeon_halt(void)
 	octeon_kill_core(NULL);
 }
 
+static char __read_mostly octeon_system_type[80];
+
+static int __init init_octeon_system_type(void)
+{
+	snprintf(octeon_system_type, sizeof(octeon_system_type), "%s (%s)",
+		cvmx_board_type_to_string(octeon_bootinfo->board_type),
+		octeon_model_get_string(read_c0_prid()));
+
+	return 0;
+}
+early_initcall(init_octeon_system_type);
+
 /**
  * Return a string representing the system type
  *
@@ -464,11 +476,7 @@ static void octeon_halt(void)
  */
 const char *octeon_board_type_string(void)
 {
-	static char name[80];
-	sprintf(name, "%s (%s)",
-		cvmx_board_type_to_string(octeon_bootinfo->board_type),
-		octeon_model_get_string(read_c0_prid()));
-	return name;
+	return octeon_system_type;
 }
 
 const char *get_system_type(void)