diff --git a/drivers/clk/sunxi/clk-sunxi.c b/drivers/clk/sunxi/clk-sunxi.c
index e43ed6a6b660..a38c799ddc62 100644
--- a/drivers/clk/sunxi/clk-sunxi.c
+++ b/drivers/clk/sunxi/clk-sunxi.c
@@ -870,7 +870,6 @@ static void __init sunxi_gates_clk_setup(struct device_node *node,
 	int qty;
 	int i = 0;
 	int j = 0;
-	int ignore;
 
 	reg = of_iomap(node, 0);
 
@@ -891,11 +890,8 @@ static void __init sunxi_gates_clk_setup(struct device_node *node,
 		of_property_read_string_index(node, "clock-output-names",
 					      j, &clk_name);
 
-		/* No driver claims this clock, but it should remain gated */
-		ignore = !strcmp("ahb_sdram", clk_name) ? CLK_IGNORE_UNUSED : 0;
-
 		clk_data->clks[i] = clk_register_gate(NULL, clk_name,
-						      clk_parent, ignore,
+						      clk_parent, 0,
 						      reg + 4 * (i/32), i % 32,
 						      0, &clk_lock);
 		WARN_ON(IS_ERR(clk_data->clks[i]));
@@ -1203,6 +1199,7 @@ static void __init sunxi_init_clocks(const char *clocks[], int nclocks)
 
 static const char *sun4i_a10_critical_clocks[] __initdata = {
 	"pll5_ddr",
+	"ahb_sdram",
 };
 
 static void __init sun4i_a10_init_clocks(struct device_node *node)
@@ -1215,6 +1212,7 @@ CLK_OF_DECLARE(sun4i_a10_clk_init, "allwinner,sun4i-a10", sun4i_a10_init_clocks)
 static const char *sun5i_critical_clocks[] __initdata = {
 	"mbus",
 	"pll5_ddr",
+	"ahb_sdram",
 };
 
 static void __init sun5i_init_clocks(struct device_node *node)