diff --git a/arch/powerpc/lib/code-patching.c b/arch/powerpc/lib/code-patching.c
index 570c06a00db6..31d31a10f71f 100644
--- a/arch/powerpc/lib/code-patching.c
+++ b/arch/powerpc/lib/code-patching.c
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@ int patch_instruction(unsigned int *addr, unsigned int instr)
 	int err;
 
 	/* Make sure we aren't patching a freed init section */
-	if (init_mem_is_free && is_init(addr)) {
+	if (*PTRRELOC(&init_mem_is_free) && is_init(addr)) {
 		pr_debug("Skipping init section patching addr: 0x%px\n", addr);
 		return 0;
 	}