diff --git a/drivers/cpufreq/cpufreq-dt.c b/drivers/cpufreq/cpufreq-dt.c
index ad4234518ef6..b1e1bdc63b01 100644
--- a/drivers/cpufreq/cpufreq-dt.c
+++ b/drivers/cpufreq/cpufreq-dt.c
@@ -175,7 +175,7 @@ static int cpufreq_exit(struct cpufreq_policy *policy)
 }
 
 static struct cpufreq_driver dt_cpufreq_driver = {
-	.flags = CPUFREQ_STICKY | CPUFREQ_NEED_INITIAL_FREQ_CHECK |
+	.flags = CPUFREQ_NEED_INITIAL_FREQ_CHECK |
 		 CPUFREQ_IS_COOLING_DEV,
 	.verify = cpufreq_generic_frequency_table_verify,
 	.target_index = set_target,
diff --git a/drivers/cpufreq/cpufreq.c b/drivers/cpufreq/cpufreq.c
index d0a3525ce27f..7d0ae968def7 100644
--- a/drivers/cpufreq/cpufreq.c
+++ b/drivers/cpufreq/cpufreq.c
@@ -2810,8 +2810,7 @@ int cpufreq_register_driver(struct cpufreq_driver *driver_data)
 	if (ret)
 		goto err_boost_unreg;
 
-	if (!(cpufreq_driver->flags & CPUFREQ_STICKY) &&
-	    list_empty(&cpufreq_policy_list)) {
+	if (unlikely(list_empty(&cpufreq_policy_list))) {
 		/* if all ->init() calls failed, unregister */
 		ret = -ENODEV;
 		pr_debug("%s: No CPU initialized for driver %s\n", __func__,
diff --git a/drivers/cpufreq/davinci-cpufreq.c b/drivers/cpufreq/davinci-cpufreq.c
index 91f477a6cbc4..9e97f60f8199 100644
--- a/drivers/cpufreq/davinci-cpufreq.c
+++ b/drivers/cpufreq/davinci-cpufreq.c
@@ -95,7 +95,7 @@ static int davinci_cpu_init(struct cpufreq_policy *policy)
 }
 
 static struct cpufreq_driver davinci_driver = {
-	.flags		= CPUFREQ_STICKY | CPUFREQ_NEED_INITIAL_FREQ_CHECK,
+	.flags		= CPUFREQ_NEED_INITIAL_FREQ_CHECK,
 	.verify		= cpufreq_generic_frequency_table_verify,
 	.target_index	= davinci_target,
 	.get		= cpufreq_generic_get,
diff --git a/drivers/cpufreq/loongson1-cpufreq.c b/drivers/cpufreq/loongson1-cpufreq.c
index 86f612593e49..fb72d709db56 100644
--- a/drivers/cpufreq/loongson1-cpufreq.c
+++ b/drivers/cpufreq/loongson1-cpufreq.c
@@ -116,7 +116,7 @@ static int ls1x_cpufreq_exit(struct cpufreq_policy *policy)
 
 static struct cpufreq_driver ls1x_cpufreq_driver = {
 	.name		= "cpufreq-ls1x",
-	.flags		= CPUFREQ_STICKY | CPUFREQ_NEED_INITIAL_FREQ_CHECK,
+	.flags		= CPUFREQ_NEED_INITIAL_FREQ_CHECK,
 	.verify		= cpufreq_generic_frequency_table_verify,
 	.target_index	= ls1x_cpufreq_target,
 	.get		= cpufreq_generic_get,
diff --git a/drivers/cpufreq/mediatek-cpufreq.c b/drivers/cpufreq/mediatek-cpufreq.c
index 022e3e966e71..f2e491b25b07 100644
--- a/drivers/cpufreq/mediatek-cpufreq.c
+++ b/drivers/cpufreq/mediatek-cpufreq.c
@@ -463,7 +463,7 @@ static int mtk_cpufreq_exit(struct cpufreq_policy *policy)
 }
 
 static struct cpufreq_driver mtk_cpufreq_driver = {
-	.flags = CPUFREQ_STICKY | CPUFREQ_NEED_INITIAL_FREQ_CHECK |
+	.flags = CPUFREQ_NEED_INITIAL_FREQ_CHECK |
 		 CPUFREQ_HAVE_GOVERNOR_PER_POLICY |
 		 CPUFREQ_IS_COOLING_DEV,
 	.verify = cpufreq_generic_frequency_table_verify,
diff --git a/drivers/cpufreq/omap-cpufreq.c b/drivers/cpufreq/omap-cpufreq.c
index 3694bb030df3..e035ee216b0f 100644
--- a/drivers/cpufreq/omap-cpufreq.c
+++ b/drivers/cpufreq/omap-cpufreq.c
@@ -144,7 +144,7 @@ static int omap_cpu_exit(struct cpufreq_policy *policy)
 }
 
 static struct cpufreq_driver omap_driver = {
-	.flags		= CPUFREQ_STICKY | CPUFREQ_NEED_INITIAL_FREQ_CHECK,
+	.flags		= CPUFREQ_NEED_INITIAL_FREQ_CHECK,
 	.verify		= cpufreq_generic_frequency_table_verify,
 	.target_index	= omap_target,
 	.get		= cpufreq_generic_get,
diff --git a/drivers/cpufreq/qcom-cpufreq-hw.c b/drivers/cpufreq/qcom-cpufreq-hw.c
index 9ed5341dc515..2a3b4f44488b 100644
--- a/drivers/cpufreq/qcom-cpufreq-hw.c
+++ b/drivers/cpufreq/qcom-cpufreq-hw.c
@@ -374,7 +374,7 @@ static struct freq_attr *qcom_cpufreq_hw_attr[] = {
 };
 
 static struct cpufreq_driver cpufreq_qcom_hw_driver = {
-	.flags		= CPUFREQ_STICKY | CPUFREQ_NEED_INITIAL_FREQ_CHECK |
+	.flags		= CPUFREQ_NEED_INITIAL_FREQ_CHECK |
 			  CPUFREQ_HAVE_GOVERNOR_PER_POLICY |
 			  CPUFREQ_IS_COOLING_DEV,
 	.verify		= cpufreq_generic_frequency_table_verify,
diff --git a/drivers/cpufreq/s3c24xx-cpufreq.c b/drivers/cpufreq/s3c24xx-cpufreq.c
index 37efc0dc3f91..7380c32b238e 100644
--- a/drivers/cpufreq/s3c24xx-cpufreq.c
+++ b/drivers/cpufreq/s3c24xx-cpufreq.c
@@ -420,7 +420,7 @@ static int s3c_cpufreq_resume(struct cpufreq_policy *policy)
 #endif
 
 static struct cpufreq_driver s3c24xx_driver = {
-	.flags		= CPUFREQ_STICKY | CPUFREQ_NEED_INITIAL_FREQ_CHECK,
+	.flags		= CPUFREQ_NEED_INITIAL_FREQ_CHECK,
 	.target		= s3c_cpufreq_target,
 	.get		= cpufreq_generic_get,
 	.init		= s3c_cpufreq_init,
diff --git a/drivers/cpufreq/s5pv210-cpufreq.c b/drivers/cpufreq/s5pv210-cpufreq.c
index bed496cf8d24..69786e5bbf05 100644
--- a/drivers/cpufreq/s5pv210-cpufreq.c
+++ b/drivers/cpufreq/s5pv210-cpufreq.c
@@ -574,7 +574,7 @@ static int s5pv210_cpufreq_reboot_notifier_event(struct notifier_block *this,
 }
 
 static struct cpufreq_driver s5pv210_driver = {
-	.flags		= CPUFREQ_STICKY | CPUFREQ_NEED_INITIAL_FREQ_CHECK,
+	.flags		= CPUFREQ_NEED_INITIAL_FREQ_CHECK,
 	.verify		= cpufreq_generic_frequency_table_verify,
 	.target_index	= s5pv210_target,
 	.get		= cpufreq_generic_get,
diff --git a/drivers/cpufreq/sa1100-cpufreq.c b/drivers/cpufreq/sa1100-cpufreq.c
index 5c075ef6adc0..252b9fc26124 100644
--- a/drivers/cpufreq/sa1100-cpufreq.c
+++ b/drivers/cpufreq/sa1100-cpufreq.c
@@ -186,7 +186,7 @@ static int __init sa1100_cpu_init(struct cpufreq_policy *policy)
 }
 
 static struct cpufreq_driver sa1100_driver __refdata = {
-	.flags		= CPUFREQ_STICKY | CPUFREQ_NEED_INITIAL_FREQ_CHECK |
+	.flags		= CPUFREQ_NEED_INITIAL_FREQ_CHECK |
 			  CPUFREQ_NO_AUTO_DYNAMIC_SWITCHING,
 	.verify		= cpufreq_generic_frequency_table_verify,
 	.target_index	= sa1100_target,
diff --git a/drivers/cpufreq/sa1110-cpufreq.c b/drivers/cpufreq/sa1110-cpufreq.c
index d9d04d935b3a..1a83c8678a63 100644
--- a/drivers/cpufreq/sa1110-cpufreq.c
+++ b/drivers/cpufreq/sa1110-cpufreq.c
@@ -310,7 +310,7 @@ static int __init sa1110_cpu_init(struct cpufreq_policy *policy)
 /* sa1110_driver needs __refdata because it must remain after init registers
  * it with cpufreq_register_driver() */
 static struct cpufreq_driver sa1110_driver __refdata = {
-	.flags		= CPUFREQ_STICKY | CPUFREQ_NEED_INITIAL_FREQ_CHECK |
+	.flags		= CPUFREQ_NEED_INITIAL_FREQ_CHECK |
 			  CPUFREQ_NO_AUTO_DYNAMIC_SWITCHING,
 	.verify		= cpufreq_generic_frequency_table_verify,
 	.target_index	= sa1110_target,
diff --git a/drivers/cpufreq/scmi-cpufreq.c b/drivers/cpufreq/scmi-cpufreq.c
index 491a0a24fb1e..5bd03b59887f 100644
--- a/drivers/cpufreq/scmi-cpufreq.c
+++ b/drivers/cpufreq/scmi-cpufreq.c
@@ -217,7 +217,7 @@ static int scmi_cpufreq_exit(struct cpufreq_policy *policy)
 
 static struct cpufreq_driver scmi_cpufreq_driver = {
 	.name	= "scmi",
-	.flags	= CPUFREQ_STICKY | CPUFREQ_HAVE_GOVERNOR_PER_POLICY |
+	.flags	= CPUFREQ_HAVE_GOVERNOR_PER_POLICY |
 		  CPUFREQ_NEED_INITIAL_FREQ_CHECK |
 		  CPUFREQ_IS_COOLING_DEV,
 	.verify	= cpufreq_generic_frequency_table_verify,
diff --git a/drivers/cpufreq/scpi-cpufreq.c b/drivers/cpufreq/scpi-cpufreq.c
index e5140ad63db8..d6a698a1b5d1 100644
--- a/drivers/cpufreq/scpi-cpufreq.c
+++ b/drivers/cpufreq/scpi-cpufreq.c
@@ -191,7 +191,7 @@ static int scpi_cpufreq_exit(struct cpufreq_policy *policy)
 
 static struct cpufreq_driver scpi_cpufreq_driver = {
 	.name	= "scpi-cpufreq",
-	.flags	= CPUFREQ_STICKY | CPUFREQ_HAVE_GOVERNOR_PER_POLICY |
+	.flags	= CPUFREQ_HAVE_GOVERNOR_PER_POLICY |
 		  CPUFREQ_NEED_INITIAL_FREQ_CHECK |
 		  CPUFREQ_IS_COOLING_DEV,
 	.verify	= cpufreq_generic_frequency_table_verify,
diff --git a/drivers/cpufreq/spear-cpufreq.c b/drivers/cpufreq/spear-cpufreq.c
index 73bd8dc47074..7d0d62a06bf3 100644
--- a/drivers/cpufreq/spear-cpufreq.c
+++ b/drivers/cpufreq/spear-cpufreq.c
@@ -160,7 +160,7 @@ static int spear_cpufreq_init(struct cpufreq_policy *policy)
 
 static struct cpufreq_driver spear_cpufreq_driver = {
 	.name		= "cpufreq-spear",
-	.flags		= CPUFREQ_STICKY | CPUFREQ_NEED_INITIAL_FREQ_CHECK,
+	.flags		= CPUFREQ_NEED_INITIAL_FREQ_CHECK,
 	.verify		= cpufreq_generic_frequency_table_verify,
 	.target_index	= spear_cpufreq_target,
 	.get		= cpufreq_generic_get,
diff --git a/drivers/cpufreq/tegra186-cpufreq.c b/drivers/cpufreq/tegra186-cpufreq.c
index e566ea298b59..5d1943e787b0 100644
--- a/drivers/cpufreq/tegra186-cpufreq.c
+++ b/drivers/cpufreq/tegra186-cpufreq.c
@@ -117,7 +117,7 @@ static unsigned int tegra186_cpufreq_get(unsigned int cpu)
 
 static struct cpufreq_driver tegra186_cpufreq_driver = {
 	.name = "tegra186",
-	.flags = CPUFREQ_STICKY | CPUFREQ_HAVE_GOVERNOR_PER_POLICY |
+	.flags = CPUFREQ_HAVE_GOVERNOR_PER_POLICY |
 			CPUFREQ_NEED_INITIAL_FREQ_CHECK,
 	.get = tegra186_cpufreq_get,
 	.verify = cpufreq_generic_frequency_table_verify,
diff --git a/drivers/cpufreq/tegra194-cpufreq.c b/drivers/cpufreq/tegra194-cpufreq.c
index 6a67f36f3b80..a9620e4489ae 100644
--- a/drivers/cpufreq/tegra194-cpufreq.c
+++ b/drivers/cpufreq/tegra194-cpufreq.c
@@ -272,8 +272,7 @@ static int tegra194_cpufreq_set_target(struct cpufreq_policy *policy,
 
 static struct cpufreq_driver tegra194_cpufreq_driver = {
 	.name = "tegra194",
-	.flags = CPUFREQ_STICKY | CPUFREQ_CONST_LOOPS |
-		CPUFREQ_NEED_INITIAL_FREQ_CHECK,
+	.flags = CPUFREQ_CONST_LOOPS | CPUFREQ_NEED_INITIAL_FREQ_CHECK,
 	.verify = cpufreq_generic_frequency_table_verify,
 	.target_index = tegra194_cpufreq_set_target,
 	.get = tegra194_get_speed,
diff --git a/drivers/cpufreq/vexpress-spc-cpufreq.c b/drivers/cpufreq/vexpress-spc-cpufreq.c
index f711d8eaea6a..51dfa9ae6cf5 100644
--- a/drivers/cpufreq/vexpress-spc-cpufreq.c
+++ b/drivers/cpufreq/vexpress-spc-cpufreq.c
@@ -486,8 +486,7 @@ static void ve_spc_cpufreq_ready(struct cpufreq_policy *policy)
 
 static struct cpufreq_driver ve_spc_cpufreq_driver = {
 	.name			= "vexpress-spc",
-	.flags			= CPUFREQ_STICKY |
-					CPUFREQ_HAVE_GOVERNOR_PER_POLICY |
+	.flags			= CPUFREQ_HAVE_GOVERNOR_PER_POLICY |
 					CPUFREQ_NEED_INITIAL_FREQ_CHECK,
 	.verify			= cpufreq_generic_frequency_table_verify,
 	.target_index		= ve_spc_cpufreq_set_target,
diff --git a/include/linux/cpufreq.h b/include/linux/cpufreq.h
index 9c8b7437b6cd..c8e40e91fe9b 100644
--- a/include/linux/cpufreq.h
+++ b/include/linux/cpufreq.h
@@ -387,8 +387,13 @@ struct cpufreq_driver {
 
 /* flags */
 
-/* driver isn't removed even if all ->init() calls failed */
-#define CPUFREQ_STICKY				BIT(0)
+/*
+ * Set by drivers that need to update internale upper and lower boundaries along
+ * with the target frequency and so the core and governors should also invoke
+ * the diver if the target frequency does not change, but the policy min or max
+ * may have changed.
+ */
+#define CPUFREQ_NEED_UPDATE_LIMITS		BIT(0)
 
 /* loops_per_jiffy or other kernel "constants" aren't affected by frequency transitions */
 #define CPUFREQ_CONST_LOOPS			BIT(1)
@@ -432,14 +437,6 @@ struct cpufreq_driver {
  */
 #define CPUFREQ_IS_COOLING_DEV			BIT(7)
 
-/*
- * Set by drivers that need to update internale upper and lower boundaries along
- * with the target frequency and so the core and governors should also invoke
- * the diver if the target frequency does not change, but the policy min or max
- * may have changed.
- */
-#define CPUFREQ_NEED_UPDATE_LIMITS		BIT(8)
-
 int cpufreq_register_driver(struct cpufreq_driver *driver_data);
 int cpufreq_unregister_driver(struct cpufreq_driver *driver_data);
 
