diff --git a/include/linux/irqdesc.h b/include/linux/irqdesc.h
index c70b1aa4b93a..2d921b35212c 100644
--- a/include/linux/irqdesc.h
+++ b/include/linux/irqdesc.h
@@ -111,10 +111,7 @@ static inline void generic_handle_irq_desc(unsigned int irq, struct irq_desc *de
 	desc->handle_irq(irq, desc);
 }
 
-static inline void generic_handle_irq(unsigned int irq)
-{
-	generic_handle_irq_desc(irq, irq_to_desc(irq));
-}
+int generic_handle_irq(unsigned int irq);
 
 /* Test to see if a driver has successfully requested an irq */
 static inline int irq_has_action(unsigned int irq)
diff --git a/kernel/irq/irqdesc.c b/kernel/irq/irqdesc.c
index e07b975fdc5a..9f65b0225d6a 100644
--- a/kernel/irq/irqdesc.c
+++ b/kernel/irq/irqdesc.c
@@ -290,6 +290,21 @@ static int irq_expand_nr_irqs(unsigned int nr)
 
 #endif /* !CONFIG_SPARSE_IRQ */
 
+/**
+ * generic_handle_irq - Invoke the handler for a particular irq
+ * @irq:	The irq number to handle
+ *
+ */
+int generic_handle_irq(unsigned int irq)
+{
+	struct irq_desc *desc = irq_to_desc(irq);
+
+	if (!desc)
+		return -EINVAL;
+	generic_handle_irq_desc(irq, desc);
+	return 0;
+}
+
 /* Dynamic interrupt handling */
 
 /**