diff --git a/drivers/base/firmware_class.c b/drivers/base/firmware_class.c
index ccfd26814..eccb47c83 100644
--- a/drivers/base/firmware_class.c
+++ b/drivers/base/firmware_class.c
@@ -40,6 +40,26 @@ MODULE_LICENSE("GPL");
 
 /* Builtin firmware support */
 
+static int _____fw_cache_init = 0;
+static void __init fw_cache_init(void);
+
+// HACK this initializes the module if not already done.
+static void HACK_ensure_fw_cache_init(void)
+{
+	if(_____fw_cache_init)
+	{
+		printk("HACK in %s: fw_cache is already initialized.", __FILE__);
+		dump_stack();
+		return;
+	}
+
+	_____fw_cache_init = 1;
+	printk("HACK in %s: initializing fw_cache", __FILE__);
+	dump_stack();
+
+	fw_cache_init();
+}
+
 #ifdef CONFIG_FW_LOADER
 
 extern struct builtin_fw __start_builtin_fw[];
@@ -1312,6 +1332,8 @@ request_firmware_nowait(
 {
 	struct firmware_work *fw_work;
 
+	HACK_ensure_fw_cache_init();
+
 	fw_work = kzalloc(sizeof(struct firmware_work), gfp);
 	if (!fw_work)
 		return -ENOMEM;