diff --git a/arch/powerpc/mm/hugetlbpage.c b/arch/powerpc/mm/hugetlbpage.c
index 57c7465e656ef6df6e33e125b5ac3479703cce84..a3e628727697577a285ddc37e955353443496a59 100644
--- a/arch/powerpc/mm/hugetlbpage.c
+++ b/arch/powerpc/mm/hugetlbpage.c
@@ -310,7 +310,8 @@ void __init reserve_hugetlb_gpages(void)
 	int i;
 
 	strlcpy(cmdline, boot_command_line, COMMAND_LINE_SIZE);
-	parse_args("hugetlb gpages", cmdline, NULL, 0, &do_gpage_early_setup);
+	parse_args("hugetlb gpages", cmdline, NULL, 0, 0, 0,
+			&do_gpage_early_setup);
 
 	/*
 	 * Walk gpage list in reverse, allocating larger page sizes first.
diff --git a/include/asm-generic/vmlinux.lds.h b/include/asm-generic/vmlinux.lds.h
index 798603e8ec38e017e342fff7d4e2ea536ed42922..8aeadf6b553a11346aa5a5a256df1303416535e9 100644
--- a/include/asm-generic/vmlinux.lds.h
+++ b/include/asm-generic/vmlinux.lds.h
@@ -616,30 +616,23 @@
 		*(.init.setup)						\
 		VMLINUX_SYMBOL(__setup_end) = .;
 
-#define INITCALLS							\
-	*(.initcallearly.init)						\
-	VMLINUX_SYMBOL(__early_initcall_end) = .;			\
-  	*(.initcall0.init)						\
-  	*(.initcall0s.init)						\
-  	*(.initcall1.init)						\
-  	*(.initcall1s.init)						\
-  	*(.initcall2.init)						\
-  	*(.initcall2s.init)						\
-  	*(.initcall3.init)						\
-  	*(.initcall3s.init)						\
-  	*(.initcall4.init)						\
-  	*(.initcall4s.init)						\
-  	*(.initcall5.init)						\
-  	*(.initcall5s.init)						\
-	*(.initcallrootfs.init)						\
-  	*(.initcall6.init)						\
-  	*(.initcall6s.init)						\
-  	*(.initcall7.init)						\
-  	*(.initcall7s.init)
+#define INIT_CALLS_LEVEL(level)						\
+		VMLINUX_SYMBOL(__initcall##level##_start) = .;		\
+		*(.initcall##level##.init)				\
+		*(.initcall##level##s.init)				\
 
 #define INIT_CALLS							\
 		VMLINUX_SYMBOL(__initcall_start) = .;			\
-		INITCALLS						\
+		*(.initcallearly.init)					\
+		INIT_CALLS_LEVEL(0)					\
+		INIT_CALLS_LEVEL(1)					\
+		INIT_CALLS_LEVEL(2)					\
+		INIT_CALLS_LEVEL(3)					\
+		INIT_CALLS_LEVEL(4)					\
+		INIT_CALLS_LEVEL(5)					\
+		INIT_CALLS_LEVEL(rootfs)				\
+		INIT_CALLS_LEVEL(6)					\
+		INIT_CALLS_LEVEL(7)					\
 		VMLINUX_SYMBOL(__initcall_end) = .;
 
 #define CON_INITCALL							\
diff --git a/include/linux/moduleparam.h b/include/linux/moduleparam.h
index 4daa895648d99ce2d263af46fa05806254323751..ea36486378d85577ece5b6bceada24ef242d422e 100644
--- a/include/linux/moduleparam.h
+++ b/include/linux/moduleparam.h
@@ -51,7 +51,7 @@ struct kernel_param {
 	const char *name;
 	const struct kernel_param_ops *ops;
 	u16 perm;
-	u16 flags;
+	s16 level;
 	union {
 		void *arg;
 		const struct kparam_string *str;
@@ -128,7 +128,40 @@ struct kparam_array
  * The ops can have NULL set or get functions.
  */
 #define module_param_cb(name, ops, arg, perm)				      \
-	__module_param_call(MODULE_PARAM_PREFIX, name, ops, arg, perm)
+	__module_param_call(MODULE_PARAM_PREFIX, name, ops, arg, perm, 0)
+
+/**
+ * <level>_param_cb - general callback for a module/cmdline parameter
+ *                    to be evaluated before certain initcall level
+ * @name: a valid C identifier which is the parameter name.
+ * @ops: the set & get operations for this parameter.
+ * @perm: visibility in sysfs.
+ *
+ * The ops can have NULL set or get functions.
+ */
+#define __level_param_cb(name, ops, arg, perm, level)			\
+	__module_param_call(MODULE_PARAM_PREFIX, name, ops, arg, perm, level)
+
+#define core_param_cb(name, ops, arg, perm)		\
+	__level_param_cb(name, ops, arg, perm, 1)
+
+#define postcore_param_cb(name, ops, arg, perm)		\
+	__level_param_cb(name, ops, arg, perm, 2)
+
+#define arch_param_cb(name, ops, arg, perm)		\
+	__level_param_cb(name, ops, arg, perm, 3)
+
+#define subsys_param_cb(name, ops, arg, perm)		\
+	__level_param_cb(name, ops, arg, perm, 4)
+
+#define fs_param_cb(name, ops, arg, perm)		\
+	__level_param_cb(name, ops, arg, perm, 5)
+
+#define device_param_cb(name, ops, arg, perm)		\
+	__level_param_cb(name, ops, arg, perm, 6)
+
+#define late_param_cb(name, ops, arg, perm)		\
+	__level_param_cb(name, ops, arg, perm, 7)
 
 /* On alpha, ia64 and ppc64 relocations to global data cannot go into
    read-only sections (which is part of respective UNIX ABI on these
@@ -142,7 +175,7 @@ struct kparam_array
 
 /* This is the fundamental function for registering boot/module
    parameters. */
-#define __module_param_call(prefix, name, ops, arg, perm)		\
+#define __module_param_call(prefix, name, ops, arg, perm, level)	\
 	/* Default value instead of permissions? */			\
 	static int __param_perm_check_##name __attribute__((unused)) =	\
 	BUILD_BUG_ON_ZERO((perm) < 0 || (perm) > 0777 || ((perm) & 2))	\
@@ -151,7 +184,7 @@ struct kparam_array
 	static struct kernel_param __moduleparam_const __param_##name	\
 	__used								\
     __attribute__ ((unused,__section__ ("__param"),aligned(sizeof(void *)))) \
-	= { __param_str_##name, ops, perm, 0, { arg } }
+	= { __param_str_##name, ops, perm, level, { arg } }
 
 /* Obsolete - use module_param_cb() */
 #define module_param_call(name, set, get, arg, perm)			\
@@ -159,7 +192,7 @@ struct kparam_array
 		 { (void *)set, (void *)get };				\
 	__module_param_call(MODULE_PARAM_PREFIX,			\
 			    name, &__param_ops_##name, arg,		\
-			    (perm) + sizeof(__check_old_set_param(set))*0)
+			    (perm) + sizeof(__check_old_set_param(set))*0, 0)
 
 /* We don't get oldget: it's often a new-style param_get_uint, etc. */
 static inline int
@@ -239,7 +272,7 @@ static inline void __kernel_param_unlock(void)
  */
 #define core_param(name, var, type, perm)				\
 	param_check_##type(name, &(var));				\
-	__module_param_call("", name, &param_ops_##type, &var, perm)
+	__module_param_call("", name, &param_ops_##type, &var, perm, 0)
 #endif /* !MODULE */
 
 /**
@@ -257,7 +290,7 @@ static inline void __kernel_param_unlock(void)
 		= { len, string };					\
 	__module_param_call(MODULE_PARAM_PREFIX, name,			\
 			    &param_ops_string,				\
-			    .str = &__param_string_##name, perm);	\
+			    .str = &__param_string_##name, perm, 0);	\
 	__MODULE_PARM_TYPE(name, "string")
 
 /**
@@ -285,6 +318,8 @@ extern int parse_args(const char *name,
 		      char *args,
 		      const struct kernel_param *params,
 		      unsigned num,
+		      s16 level_min,
+		      s16 level_max,
 		      int (*unknown)(char *param, char *val));
 
 /* Called by module remove. */
@@ -396,7 +431,7 @@ extern int param_set_bint(const char *val, const struct kernel_param *kp);
 	__module_param_call(MODULE_PARAM_PREFIX, name,			\
 			    &param_array_ops,				\
 			    .arr = &__param_arr_##name,			\
-			    perm);					\
+			    perm, 0);					\
 	__MODULE_PARM_TYPE(name, "array of " #type)
 
 extern struct kernel_param_ops param_array_ops;
diff --git a/init/main.c b/init/main.c
index c24805c824b981d92b134e84792b66b515b0ef46..439715858ba02d242dc9e3d990461ff4bddb3c7b 100644
--- a/init/main.c
+++ b/init/main.c
@@ -400,7 +400,7 @@ static int __init do_early_param(char *param, char *val)
 
 void __init parse_early_options(char *cmdline)
 {
-	parse_args("early options", cmdline, NULL, 0, do_early_param);
+	parse_args("early options", cmdline, NULL, 0, 0, 0, do_early_param);
 }
 
 /* Arch code calls this early on, or if not, just before other parsing. */
@@ -503,7 +503,7 @@ asmlinkage void __init start_kernel(void)
 	parse_early_param();
 	parse_args("Booting kernel", static_command_line, __start___param,
 		   __stop___param - __start___param,
-		   &unknown_bootoption);
+		   0, 0, &unknown_bootoption);
 
 	jump_label_init();
 
@@ -699,16 +699,69 @@ int __init_or_module do_one_initcall(initcall_t fn)
 }
 
 
-extern initcall_t __initcall_start[], __initcall_end[], __early_initcall_end[];
+extern initcall_t __initcall_start[];
+extern initcall_t __initcall0_start[];
+extern initcall_t __initcall1_start[];
+extern initcall_t __initcall2_start[];
+extern initcall_t __initcall3_start[];
+extern initcall_t __initcall4_start[];
+extern initcall_t __initcall5_start[];
+extern initcall_t __initcall6_start[];
+extern initcall_t __initcall7_start[];
+extern initcall_t __initcall_end[];
+
+static initcall_t *initcall_levels[] __initdata = {
+	__initcall0_start,
+	__initcall1_start,
+	__initcall2_start,
+	__initcall3_start,
+	__initcall4_start,
+	__initcall5_start,
+	__initcall6_start,
+	__initcall7_start,
+	__initcall_end,
+};
+
+static char *initcall_level_names[] __initdata = {
+	"early parameters",
+	"core parameters",
+	"postcore parameters",
+	"arch parameters",
+	"subsys parameters",
+	"fs parameters",
+	"device parameters",
+	"late parameters",
+};
+
+static int __init ignore_unknown_bootoption(char *param, char *val)
+{
+	return 0;
+}
 
-static void __init do_initcalls(void)
+static void __init do_initcall_level(int level)
 {
+	extern const struct kernel_param __start___param[], __stop___param[];
 	initcall_t *fn;
 
-	for (fn = __early_initcall_end; fn < __initcall_end; fn++)
+	strcpy(static_command_line, saved_command_line);
+	parse_args(initcall_level_names[level],
+		   static_command_line, __start___param,
+		   __stop___param - __start___param,
+		   level, level,
+		   ignore_unknown_bootoption);
+
+	for (fn = initcall_levels[level]; fn < initcall_levels[level+1]; fn++)
 		do_one_initcall(*fn);
 }
 
+static void __init do_initcalls(void)
+{
+	int level;
+
+	for (level = 0; level < ARRAY_SIZE(initcall_levels) - 1; level++)
+		do_initcall_level(level);
+}
+
 /*
  * Ok, the machine is now initialized. None of the devices
  * have been touched yet, but the CPU subsystem is up and
@@ -732,7 +785,7 @@ static void __init do_pre_smp_initcalls(void)
 {
 	initcall_t *fn;
 
-	for (fn = __initcall_start; fn < __early_initcall_end; fn++)
+	for (fn = __initcall_start; fn < __initcall0_start; fn++)
 		do_one_initcall(*fn);
 }
 
diff --git a/kernel/module.c b/kernel/module.c
index 7e31da9750c08666362b7fd77aa6dc20b1ad0c08..6f6651a545901803d61183ddb8363ab3bfdb9acf 100644
--- a/kernel/module.c
+++ b/kernel/module.c
@@ -2923,7 +2923,8 @@ static struct module *load_module(void __user *umod,
 	mutex_unlock(&module_mutex);
 
 	/* Module is ready to execute: parsing args may do that. */
-	err = parse_args(mod->name, mod->args, mod->kp, mod->num_kp, NULL);
+	err = parse_args(mod->name, mod->args, mod->kp, mod->num_kp,
+			 -32768, 32767, NULL);
 	if (err < 0)
 		goto unlink;
 
diff --git a/kernel/params.c b/kernel/params.c
index 508828afb8742e684ae23cdd8e730bfe64275900..f37d82631347187b838dd772913fc875c8cc164e 100644
--- a/kernel/params.c
+++ b/kernel/params.c
@@ -87,6 +87,8 @@ static int parse_one(char *param,
 		     char *val,
 		     const struct kernel_param *params,
 		     unsigned num_params,
+		     s16 min_level,
+		     s16 max_level,
 		     int (*handle_unknown)(char *param, char *val))
 {
 	unsigned int i;
@@ -95,6 +97,9 @@ static int parse_one(char *param,
 	/* Find parameter */
 	for (i = 0; i < num_params; i++) {
 		if (parameq(param, params[i].name)) {
+			if (params[i].level < min_level
+			    || params[i].level > max_level)
+				return 0;
 			/* No one handled NULL, so do it here. */
 			if (!val && params[i].ops->set != param_set_bool
 			    && params[i].ops->set != param_set_bint)
@@ -174,6 +179,8 @@ int parse_args(const char *name,
 	       char *args,
 	       const struct kernel_param *params,
 	       unsigned num,
+	       s16 min_level,
+	       s16 max_level,
 	       int (*unknown)(char *param, char *val))
 {
 	char *param, *val;
@@ -189,7 +196,8 @@ int parse_args(const char *name,
 
 		args = next_arg(args, &param, &val);
 		irq_was_disabled = irqs_disabled();
-		ret = parse_one(param, val, params, num, unknown);
+		ret = parse_one(param, val, params, num,
+				min_level, max_level, unknown);
 		if (irq_was_disabled && !irqs_disabled()) {
 			printk(KERN_WARNING "parse_args(): option '%s' enabled "
 					"irq's!\n", param);
@@ -374,7 +382,7 @@ static int param_array(const char *name,
 		       unsigned int min, unsigned int max,
 		       void *elem, int elemsize,
 		       int (*set)(const char *, const struct kernel_param *kp),
-		       u16 flags,
+		       s16 level,
 		       unsigned int *num)
 {
 	int ret;
@@ -384,7 +392,7 @@ static int param_array(const char *name,
 	/* Get the name right for errors. */
 	kp.name = name;
 	kp.arg = elem;
-	kp.flags = flags;
+	kp.level = level;
 
 	*num = 0;
 	/* We expect a comma-separated list of values. */
@@ -425,7 +433,7 @@ static int param_array_set(const char *val, const struct kernel_param *kp)
 	unsigned int temp_num;
 
 	return param_array(kp->name, val, 1, arr->max, arr->elem,
-			   arr->elemsize, arr->ops->set, kp->flags,
+			   arr->elemsize, arr->ops->set, kp->level,
 			   arr->num ?: &temp_num);
 }