diff --git a/arch/alpha/kernel/irq_srm.c b/arch/alpha/kernel/irq_srm.c
index 32212014fbe91632e9bb80b5307725d16e758d1a..a03fbca4940eb0d0881b4d197cd3e84a3cf2b68a 100644
--- a/arch/alpha/kernel/irq_srm.c
+++ b/arch/alpha/kernel/irq_srm.c
@@ -63,6 +63,8 @@ init_srm_irqs(long max, unsigned long ignore_mask)
 {
 	long i;
 
+	if (NR_IRQS <= 16)
+		return;
 	for (i = 16; i < max; ++i) {
 		if (i < 64 && ((ignore_mask >> i) & 1))
 			continue;