diff --git a/drivers/net/ethernet/mellanox/mlx5/core/en/ptp.c b/drivers/net/ethernet/mellanox/mlx5/core/en/ptp.c
index afd654583b6b..131ed97ca997 100644
--- a/drivers/net/ethernet/mellanox/mlx5/core/en/ptp.c
+++ b/drivers/net/ethernet/mellanox/mlx5/core/en/ptp.c
@@ -326,7 +326,7 @@ static int mlx5e_ptp_alloc_txqsq(struct mlx5e_ptp *c, int txq_ix,
 	int node;
 
 	sq->pdev      = c->pdev;
-	sq->clock     = &mdev->clock;
+	sq->clock     = mdev->clock;
 	sq->mkey_be   = c->mkey_be;
 	sq->netdev    = c->netdev;
 	sq->priv      = c->priv;
@@ -696,7 +696,7 @@ static int mlx5e_init_ptp_rq(struct mlx5e_ptp *c, struct mlx5e_params *params,
 	rq->pdev         = c->pdev;
 	rq->netdev       = priv->netdev;
 	rq->priv         = priv;
-	rq->clock        = &mdev->clock;
+	rq->clock        = mdev->clock;
 	rq->tstamp       = &priv->tstamp;
 	rq->mdev         = mdev;
 	rq->hw_mtu       = MLX5E_SW2HW_MTU(params, params->sw_mtu);
diff --git a/drivers/net/ethernet/mellanox/mlx5/core/en/trap.c b/drivers/net/ethernet/mellanox/mlx5/core/en/trap.c
index 53ca16cb9c41..140606fcd23b 100644
--- a/drivers/net/ethernet/mellanox/mlx5/core/en/trap.c
+++ b/drivers/net/ethernet/mellanox/mlx5/core/en/trap.c
@@ -46,7 +46,7 @@ static void mlx5e_init_trap_rq(struct mlx5e_trap *t, struct mlx5e_params *params
 	rq->pdev         = t->pdev;
 	rq->netdev       = priv->netdev;
 	rq->priv         = priv;
-	rq->clock        = &mdev->clock;
+	rq->clock        = mdev->clock;
 	rq->tstamp       = &priv->tstamp;
 	rq->mdev         = mdev;
 	rq->hw_mtu       = MLX5E_SW2HW_MTU(params, params->sw_mtu);
diff --git a/drivers/net/ethernet/mellanox/mlx5/core/en/xdp.c b/drivers/net/ethernet/mellanox/mlx5/core/en/xdp.c
index 94b291662087..3cc4d55613bf 100644
--- a/drivers/net/ethernet/mellanox/mlx5/core/en/xdp.c
+++ b/drivers/net/ethernet/mellanox/mlx5/core/en/xdp.c
@@ -289,9 +289,9 @@ static u64 mlx5e_xsk_fill_timestamp(void *_priv)
 	ts = get_cqe_ts(priv->cqe);
 
 	if (mlx5_is_real_time_rq(priv->cq->mdev) || mlx5_is_real_time_sq(priv->cq->mdev))
-		return mlx5_real_time_cyc2time(&priv->cq->mdev->clock, ts);
+		return mlx5_real_time_cyc2time(priv->cq->mdev->clock, ts);
 
-	return  mlx5_timecounter_cyc2time(&priv->cq->mdev->clock, ts);
+	return  mlx5_timecounter_cyc2time(priv->cq->mdev->clock, ts);
 }
 
 static void mlx5e_xsk_request_checksum(u16 csum_start, u16 csum_offset, void *priv)
diff --git a/drivers/net/ethernet/mellanox/mlx5/core/en/xsk/setup.c b/drivers/net/ethernet/mellanox/mlx5/core/en/xsk/setup.c
index 9240cfe25d10..d743e823362a 100644
--- a/drivers/net/ethernet/mellanox/mlx5/core/en/xsk/setup.c
+++ b/drivers/net/ethernet/mellanox/mlx5/core/en/xsk/setup.c
@@ -72,7 +72,7 @@ static int mlx5e_init_xsk_rq(struct mlx5e_channel *c,
 	rq->netdev       = c->netdev;
 	rq->priv         = c->priv;
 	rq->tstamp       = c->tstamp;
-	rq->clock        = &mdev->clock;
+	rq->clock        = mdev->clock;
 	rq->icosq        = &c->icosq;
 	rq->ix           = c->ix;
 	rq->channel      = c;
diff --git a/drivers/net/ethernet/mellanox/mlx5/core/en_main.c b/drivers/net/ethernet/mellanox/mlx5/core/en_main.c
index a814b63ed97e..c754e0c75934 100644
--- a/drivers/net/ethernet/mellanox/mlx5/core/en_main.c
+++ b/drivers/net/ethernet/mellanox/mlx5/core/en_main.c
@@ -737,7 +737,7 @@ static int mlx5e_init_rxq_rq(struct mlx5e_channel *c, struct mlx5e_params *param
 	rq->netdev       = c->netdev;
 	rq->priv         = c->priv;
 	rq->tstamp       = c->tstamp;
-	rq->clock        = &mdev->clock;
+	rq->clock        = mdev->clock;
 	rq->icosq        = &c->icosq;
 	rq->ix           = c->ix;
 	rq->channel      = c;
@@ -1614,7 +1614,7 @@ static int mlx5e_alloc_txqsq(struct mlx5e_channel *c,
 	int err;
 
 	sq->pdev      = c->pdev;
-	sq->clock     = &mdev->clock;
+	sq->clock     = mdev->clock;
 	sq->mkey_be   = c->mkey_be;
 	sq->netdev    = c->netdev;
 	sq->mdev      = c->mdev;
diff --git a/drivers/net/ethernet/mellanox/mlx5/core/lib/clock.c b/drivers/net/ethernet/mellanox/mlx5/core/lib/clock.c
index b2c88050ba36..da2a21ce8060 100644
--- a/drivers/net/ethernet/mellanox/mlx5/core/lib/clock.c
+++ b/drivers/net/ethernet/mellanox/mlx5/core/lib/clock.c
@@ -77,9 +77,19 @@ enum {
 	MLX5_MTUTC_OPERATION_ADJUST_TIME_EXTENDED_MAX = 200000,
 };
 
+struct mlx5_clock_priv {
+	struct mlx5_clock clock;
+	struct mlx5_core_dev *mdev;
+};
+
+static struct mlx5_clock_priv *clock_priv(struct mlx5_clock *clock)
+{
+	return container_of(clock, struct mlx5_clock_priv, clock);
+}
+
 static struct mlx5_core_dev *mlx5_clock_mdev_get(struct mlx5_clock *clock)
 {
-	return container_of(clock, struct mlx5_core_dev, clock);
+	return clock_priv(clock)->mdev;
 }
 
 static bool mlx5_real_time_mode(struct mlx5_core_dev *mdev)
@@ -219,7 +229,7 @@ static int mlx5_mtctr_syncdevicetime(ktime_t *device_time,
 	if (real_time_mode)
 		*device_time = ns_to_ktime(REAL_TIME_TO_NS(device >> 32, device & U32_MAX));
 	else
-		*device_time = mlx5_timecounter_cyc2time(&mdev->clock, device);
+		*device_time = mlx5_timecounter_cyc2time(mdev->clock, device);
 
 	return 0;
 }
@@ -281,7 +291,7 @@ static u64 read_internal_timer(const struct cyclecounter *cc)
 static void mlx5_update_clock_info_page(struct mlx5_core_dev *mdev)
 {
 	struct mlx5_ib_clock_info *clock_info = mdev->clock_info;
-	struct mlx5_clock *clock = &mdev->clock;
+	struct mlx5_clock *clock = mdev->clock;
 	struct mlx5_timer *timer;
 	u32 sign;
 
@@ -599,7 +609,7 @@ static int mlx5_extts_configure(struct ptp_clock_info *ptp,
 
 static u64 find_target_cycles(struct mlx5_core_dev *mdev, s64 target_ns)
 {
-	struct mlx5_clock *clock = &mdev->clock;
+	struct mlx5_clock *clock = mdev->clock;
 	u64 cycles_now, cycles_delta;
 	u64 nsec_now, nsec_delta;
 	struct mlx5_timer *timer;
@@ -658,7 +668,7 @@ static int mlx5_perout_conf_out_pulse_duration(struct mlx5_core_dev *mdev,
 					       struct ptp_clock_request *rq,
 					       u32 *out_pulse_duration_ns)
 {
-	struct mlx5_pps *pps_info = &mdev->clock.pps_info;
+	struct mlx5_pps *pps_info = &mdev->clock->pps_info;
 	u32 out_pulse_duration;
 	struct timespec64 ts;
 
@@ -691,7 +701,7 @@ static int perout_conf_npps_real_time(struct mlx5_core_dev *mdev, struct ptp_clo
 				      u32 *field_select, u32 *out_pulse_duration_ns,
 				      u64 *period, u64 *time_stamp)
 {
-	struct mlx5_pps *pps_info = &mdev->clock.pps_info;
+	struct mlx5_pps *pps_info = &mdev->clock->pps_info;
 	struct ptp_clock_time *time = &rq->perout.start;
 	struct timespec64 ts;
 
@@ -901,7 +911,7 @@ static int mlx5_get_pps_pin_mode(struct mlx5_core_dev *mdev, u8 pin)
 
 static void mlx5_init_pin_config(struct mlx5_core_dev *mdev)
 {
-	struct mlx5_clock *clock = &mdev->clock;
+	struct mlx5_clock *clock = mdev->clock;
 	int i;
 
 	if (!clock->ptp_info.n_pins)
@@ -929,8 +939,8 @@ static void mlx5_init_pin_config(struct mlx5_core_dev *mdev)
 
 static void mlx5_get_pps_caps(struct mlx5_core_dev *mdev)
 {
-	struct mlx5_clock *clock = &mdev->clock;
 	u32 out[MLX5_ST_SZ_DW(mtpps_reg)] = {0};
+	struct mlx5_clock *clock = mdev->clock;
 
 	mlx5_query_mtpps(mdev, out, sizeof(out));
 
@@ -1025,7 +1035,7 @@ static int mlx5_pps_event(struct notifier_block *nb,
 
 static void mlx5_timecounter_init(struct mlx5_core_dev *mdev)
 {
-	struct mlx5_clock *clock = &mdev->clock;
+	struct mlx5_clock *clock = mdev->clock;
 	struct mlx5_timer *timer = &clock->timer;
 	u32 dev_freq;
 
@@ -1044,7 +1054,7 @@ static void mlx5_timecounter_init(struct mlx5_core_dev *mdev)
 static void mlx5_init_overflow_period(struct mlx5_core_dev *mdev)
 {
 	struct mlx5_ib_clock_info *clock_info = mdev->clock_info;
-	struct mlx5_clock *clock = &mdev->clock;
+	struct mlx5_clock *clock = mdev->clock;
 	struct mlx5_timer *timer = &clock->timer;
 	u64 overflow_cycles;
 	u64 frac = 0;
@@ -1077,7 +1087,7 @@ static void mlx5_init_overflow_period(struct mlx5_core_dev *mdev)
 
 static void mlx5_init_clock_info(struct mlx5_core_dev *mdev)
 {
-	struct mlx5_clock *clock = &mdev->clock;
+	struct mlx5_clock *clock = mdev->clock;
 	struct mlx5_ib_clock_info *info;
 	struct mlx5_timer *timer;
 
@@ -1100,7 +1110,7 @@ static void mlx5_init_clock_info(struct mlx5_core_dev *mdev)
 
 static void mlx5_init_timer_max_freq_adjustment(struct mlx5_core_dev *mdev)
 {
-	struct mlx5_clock *clock = &mdev->clock;
+	struct mlx5_clock *clock = mdev->clock;
 	u32 out[MLX5_ST_SZ_DW(mtutc_reg)] = {};
 	u32 in[MLX5_ST_SZ_DW(mtutc_reg)] = {};
 	u8 log_max_freq_adjustment = 0;
@@ -1119,7 +1129,7 @@ static void mlx5_init_timer_max_freq_adjustment(struct mlx5_core_dev *mdev)
 
 static void mlx5_init_timer_clock(struct mlx5_core_dev *mdev)
 {
-	struct mlx5_clock *clock = &mdev->clock;
+	struct mlx5_clock *clock = mdev->clock;
 
 	/* Configure the PHC */
 	clock->ptp_info = mlx5_ptp_clock_info;
@@ -1156,7 +1166,7 @@ static void mlx5_init_pps(struct mlx5_core_dev *mdev)
 
 static void mlx5_init_clock_dev(struct mlx5_core_dev *mdev)
 {
-	struct mlx5_clock *clock = &mdev->clock;
+	struct mlx5_clock *clock = mdev->clock;
 
 	seqlock_init(&clock->lock);
 
@@ -1180,7 +1190,7 @@ static void mlx5_init_clock_dev(struct mlx5_core_dev *mdev)
 
 static void mlx5_destroy_clock_dev(struct mlx5_core_dev *mdev)
 {
-	struct mlx5_clock *clock = &mdev->clock;
+	struct mlx5_clock *clock = mdev->clock;
 
 	if (clock->ptp) {
 		ptp_clock_unregister(clock->ptp);
@@ -1195,25 +1205,60 @@ static void mlx5_destroy_clock_dev(struct mlx5_core_dev *mdev)
 	kfree(clock->ptp_info.pin_config);
 }
 
-void mlx5_init_clock(struct mlx5_core_dev *mdev)
+static void mlx5_clock_free(struct mlx5_core_dev *mdev)
+{
+	struct mlx5_clock_priv *cpriv = clock_priv(mdev->clock);
+
+	mlx5_destroy_clock_dev(mdev);
+	kfree(cpriv);
+	mdev->clock = NULL;
+}
+
+static int mlx5_clock_alloc(struct mlx5_core_dev *mdev)
 {
-	struct mlx5_clock *clock = &mdev->clock;
+	struct mlx5_clock_priv *cpriv;
+	struct mlx5_clock *clock;
+
+	cpriv = kzalloc(sizeof(*cpriv), GFP_KERNEL);
+	if (!cpriv)
+		return -ENOMEM;
+
+	cpriv->mdev = mdev;
+	clock = &cpriv->clock;
+	mdev->clock = clock;
+	mlx5_init_clock_dev(mdev);
+
+	return 0;
+}
+
+static struct mlx5_clock null_clock;
+
+int mlx5_init_clock(struct mlx5_core_dev *mdev)
+{
+	struct mlx5_clock *clock;
+	int err;
 
 	if (!MLX5_CAP_GEN(mdev, device_frequency_khz)) {
+		mdev->clock = &null_clock;
 		mlx5_core_warn(mdev, "invalid device_frequency_khz, aborting HW clock init\n");
-		return;
+		return 0;
 	}
 
-	mlx5_init_clock_dev(mdev);
+	err = mlx5_clock_alloc(mdev);
+	if (err)
+		return err;
+	clock = mdev->clock;
 
 	INIT_WORK(&clock->pps_info.out_work, mlx5_pps_out);
 	MLX5_NB_INIT(&clock->pps_nb, mlx5_pps_event, PPS_EVENT);
 	mlx5_eq_notifier_register(mdev, &clock->pps_nb);
+
+	return 0;
 }
 
 void mlx5_cleanup_clock(struct mlx5_core_dev *mdev)
 {
-	struct mlx5_clock *clock = &mdev->clock;
+	struct mlx5_clock *clock = mdev->clock;
 
 	if (!MLX5_CAP_GEN(mdev, device_frequency_khz))
 		return;
@@ -1221,5 +1266,5 @@ void mlx5_cleanup_clock(struct mlx5_core_dev *mdev)
 	mlx5_eq_notifier_unregister(mdev, &clock->pps_nb);
 	cancel_work_sync(&clock->pps_info.out_work);
 
-	mlx5_destroy_clock_dev(mdev);
+	mlx5_clock_free(mdev);
 }
diff --git a/drivers/net/ethernet/mellanox/mlx5/core/lib/clock.h b/drivers/net/ethernet/mellanox/mlx5/core/lib/clock.h
index bd95b9f8d143..eca1dd9039be 100644
--- a/drivers/net/ethernet/mellanox/mlx5/core/lib/clock.h
+++ b/drivers/net/ethernet/mellanox/mlx5/core/lib/clock.h
@@ -33,6 +33,35 @@
 #ifndef __LIB_CLOCK_H__
 #define __LIB_CLOCK_H__
 
+#include <linux/ptp_clock_kernel.h>
+
+#define MAX_PIN_NUM	8
+struct mlx5_pps {
+	u8                         pin_caps[MAX_PIN_NUM];
+	struct work_struct         out_work;
+	u64                        start[MAX_PIN_NUM];
+	u8                         enabled;
+	u64                        min_npps_period;
+	u64                        min_out_pulse_duration_ns;
+};
+
+struct mlx5_timer {
+	struct cyclecounter        cycles;
+	struct timecounter         tc;
+	u32                        nominal_c_mult;
+	unsigned long              overflow_period;
+};
+
+struct mlx5_clock {
+	struct mlx5_nb             pps_nb;
+	seqlock_t                  lock;
+	struct hwtstamp_config     hwtstamp_config;
+	struct ptp_clock          *ptp;
+	struct ptp_clock_info      ptp_info;
+	struct mlx5_pps            pps_info;
+	struct mlx5_timer          timer;
+};
+
 static inline bool mlx5_is_real_time_rq(struct mlx5_core_dev *mdev)
 {
 	u8 rq_ts_format_cap = MLX5_CAP_GEN(mdev, rq_ts_format);
@@ -54,12 +83,12 @@ static inline bool mlx5_is_real_time_sq(struct mlx5_core_dev *mdev)
 typedef ktime_t (*cqe_ts_to_ns)(struct mlx5_clock *, u64);
 
 #if IS_ENABLED(CONFIG_PTP_1588_CLOCK)
-void mlx5_init_clock(struct mlx5_core_dev *mdev);
+int mlx5_init_clock(struct mlx5_core_dev *mdev);
 void mlx5_cleanup_clock(struct mlx5_core_dev *mdev);
 
 static inline int mlx5_clock_get_ptp_index(struct mlx5_core_dev *mdev)
 {
-	return mdev->clock.ptp ? ptp_clock_index(mdev->clock.ptp) : -1;
+	return mdev->clock->ptp ? ptp_clock_index(mdev->clock->ptp) : -1;
 }
 
 static inline ktime_t mlx5_timecounter_cyc2time(struct mlx5_clock *clock,
@@ -87,7 +116,7 @@ static inline ktime_t mlx5_real_time_cyc2time(struct mlx5_clock *clock,
 	return ns_to_ktime(time);
 }
 #else
-static inline void mlx5_init_clock(struct mlx5_core_dev *mdev) {}
+static inline int mlx5_init_clock(struct mlx5_core_dev *mdev) { return 0; }
 static inline void mlx5_cleanup_clock(struct mlx5_core_dev *mdev) {}
 static inline int mlx5_clock_get_ptp_index(struct mlx5_core_dev *mdev)
 {
diff --git a/drivers/net/ethernet/mellanox/mlx5/core/main.c b/drivers/net/ethernet/mellanox/mlx5/core/main.c
index ec956c4bcebd..996773521aee 100644
--- a/drivers/net/ethernet/mellanox/mlx5/core/main.c
+++ b/drivers/net/ethernet/mellanox/mlx5/core/main.c
@@ -1038,7 +1038,11 @@ static int mlx5_init_once(struct mlx5_core_dev *dev)
 
 	mlx5_init_reserved_gids(dev);
 
-	mlx5_init_clock(dev);
+	err = mlx5_init_clock(dev);
+	if (err) {
+		mlx5_core_err(dev, "failed to initialize hardware clock\n");
+		goto err_tables_cleanup;
+	}
 
 	dev->vxlan = mlx5_vxlan_create(dev);
 	dev->geneve = mlx5_geneve_create(dev);
@@ -1046,7 +1050,7 @@ static int mlx5_init_once(struct mlx5_core_dev *dev)
 	err = mlx5_init_rl_table(dev);
 	if (err) {
 		mlx5_core_err(dev, "Failed to init rate limiting\n");
-		goto err_tables_cleanup;
+		goto err_clock_cleanup;
 	}
 
 	err = mlx5_mpfs_init(dev);
@@ -1123,10 +1127,11 @@ static int mlx5_init_once(struct mlx5_core_dev *dev)
 	mlx5_mpfs_cleanup(dev);
 err_rl_cleanup:
 	mlx5_cleanup_rl_table(dev);
-err_tables_cleanup:
+err_clock_cleanup:
 	mlx5_geneve_destroy(dev->geneve);
 	mlx5_vxlan_destroy(dev->vxlan);
 	mlx5_cleanup_clock(dev);
+err_tables_cleanup:
 	mlx5_cleanup_reserved_gids(dev);
 	mlx5_cq_debugfs_cleanup(dev);
 	mlx5_fw_reset_cleanup(dev);
diff --git a/include/linux/mlx5/driver.h b/include/linux/mlx5/driver.h
index af86097641b0..5dab3d8d05e4 100644
--- a/include/linux/mlx5/driver.h
+++ b/include/linux/mlx5/driver.h
@@ -54,7 +54,6 @@
 #include <linux/mlx5/doorbell.h>
 #include <linux/mlx5/eq.h>
 #include <linux/timecounter.h>
-#include <linux/ptp_clock_kernel.h>
 #include <net/devlink.h>
 
 #define MLX5_ADEV_NAME "mlx5_core"
@@ -679,33 +678,7 @@ struct mlx5_rsvd_gids {
 	struct ida ida;
 };
 
-#define MAX_PIN_NUM	8
-struct mlx5_pps {
-	u8                         pin_caps[MAX_PIN_NUM];
-	struct work_struct         out_work;
-	u64                        start[MAX_PIN_NUM];
-	u8                         enabled;
-	u64                        min_npps_period;
-	u64                        min_out_pulse_duration_ns;
-};
-
-struct mlx5_timer {
-	struct cyclecounter        cycles;
-	struct timecounter         tc;
-	u32                        nominal_c_mult;
-	unsigned long              overflow_period;
-};
-
-struct mlx5_clock {
-	struct mlx5_nb             pps_nb;
-	seqlock_t                  lock;
-	struct hwtstamp_config     hwtstamp_config;
-	struct ptp_clock          *ptp;
-	struct ptp_clock_info      ptp_info;
-	struct mlx5_pps            pps_info;
-	struct mlx5_timer          timer;
-};
-
+struct mlx5_clock;
 struct mlx5_dm;
 struct mlx5_fw_tracer;
 struct mlx5_vxlan;
@@ -789,7 +762,7 @@ struct mlx5_core_dev {
 #ifdef CONFIG_MLX5_FPGA
 	struct mlx5_fpga_device *fpga;
 #endif
-	struct mlx5_clock        clock;
+	struct mlx5_clock       *clock;
 	struct mlx5_ib_clock_info  *clock_info;
 	struct mlx5_fw_tracer   *tracer;
 	struct mlx5_rsc_dump    *rsc_dump;
