diff --git a/arch/arm64/include/asm/acpi.h b/arch/arm64/include/asm/acpi.h
index e1a89656f17e..59c05d8ea4a0 100644
--- a/arch/arm64/include/asm/acpi.h
+++ b/arch/arm64/include/asm/acpi.h
@@ -38,7 +38,6 @@ typedef u64 phys_cpuid_t;
 extern int acpi_disabled;
 extern int acpi_noirq;
 extern int acpi_pci_disabled;
-extern bool param_acpi_force;
 
 /* 1 to indicate PSCI 0.2+ is implemented */
 static inline bool acpi_psci_present(void)
@@ -92,8 +91,6 @@ void __init acpi_init_cpus(void);
 static inline bool acpi_psci_present(void) { return false; }
 static inline bool acpi_psci_use_hvc(void) { return false; }
 static inline void acpi_init_cpus(void) { }
-
-#define param_acpi_force false
 #endif /* CONFIG_ACPI */
 
 #endif /*_ASM_ACPI_H*/
diff --git a/arch/arm64/kernel/acpi.c b/arch/arm64/kernel/acpi.c
index 172b7c9f6881..cd60329da8c4 100644
--- a/arch/arm64/kernel/acpi.c
+++ b/arch/arm64/kernel/acpi.c
@@ -43,7 +43,7 @@ static int enabled_cpus;
 static bool bootcpu_valid  __initdata;
 
 static bool param_acpi_off __initdata;
-bool param_acpi_force __initdata;
+static bool param_acpi_force __initdata;
 
 static int __init parse_acpi(char *arg)
 {
@@ -284,8 +284,13 @@ static int __init acpi_fadt_sanity_check(void)
  * We can parse ACPI boot-time tables such as MADT after
  * this function is called.
  *
- * ACPI is enabled on return if ACPI tables initialized and sanity checks
- * passed, disabled otherwise
+ * On return ACPI is enabled if either:
+ *
+ * - ACPI tables are initialized and sanity checks passed
+ * - acpi=force was passed in the command line and ACPI was not disabled
+ *   explicitly through acpi=off command line parameter
+ *
+ * ACPI is disabled on function return otherwise
  */
 void __init acpi_boot_table_init(void)
 {
@@ -309,10 +314,13 @@ void __init acpi_boot_table_init(void)
 	 * If ACPI tables are initialized and FADT sanity checks passed,
 	 * leave ACPI enabled and carry on booting; otherwise disable ACPI
 	 * on initialization error.
+	 * If acpi=force was passed on the command line it forces ACPI
+	 * to be enabled even if its initialization failed.
 	 */
 	if (acpi_table_init() || acpi_fadt_sanity_check()) {
 		pr_err("Failed to init ACPI tables\n");
-		disable_acpi();
+		if (!param_acpi_force)
+			disable_acpi();
 	}
 }
 
diff --git a/arch/arm64/kernel/setup.c b/arch/arm64/kernel/setup.c
index d60b1adc7500..b2783111fd52 100644
--- a/arch/arm64/kernel/setup.c
+++ b/arch/arm64/kernel/setup.c
@@ -390,7 +390,7 @@ void __init setup_arch(char **cmdline_p)
 
 	early_ioremap_reset();
 
-	if (acpi_disabled  && !param_acpi_force) {
+	if (acpi_disabled) {
 		unflatten_device_tree();
 		psci_dt_init();
 		cpu_read_bootcpu_ops();