diff --git a/arch/x86/include/asm/interrupt.h b/arch/x86/include/asm/interrupt.h
index fcd766b..95a4de0 100644
--- a/arch/x86/include/asm/interrupt.h
+++ b/arch/x86/include/asm/interrupt.h
@@ -13,6 +13,8 @@
 
 #include <asm/types.h>
 
+#define SYS_NUM_IRQS	16
+
 /* Architecture defined exceptions */
 enum x86_exception {
 	EXC_DE = 0,
diff --git a/arch/x86/lib/interrupts.c b/arch/x86/lib/interrupts.c
index 146ad11..dd08402 100644
--- a/arch/x86/lib/interrupts.c
+++ b/arch/x86/lib/interrupts.c
@@ -39,7 +39,7 @@
 	unsigned int count;
 };
 
-static struct irq_action irq_handlers[CONFIG_SYS_NUM_IRQS] = { {0} };
+static struct irq_action irq_handlers[SYS_NUM_IRQS] = { {0} };
 static int spurious_irq_cnt;
 static int spurious_irq;
 
@@ -47,7 +47,7 @@
 {
 	int status;
 
-	if (irq < 0 || irq >= CONFIG_SYS_NUM_IRQS) {
+	if (irq < 0 || irq >= SYS_NUM_IRQS) {
 		printf("irq_install_handler: bad irq number %d\n", irq);
 		return;
 	}
@@ -75,7 +75,7 @@
 {
 	int status;
 
-	if (irq < 0 || irq >= CONFIG_SYS_NUM_IRQS) {
+	if (irq < 0 || irq >= SYS_NUM_IRQS) {
 		printf("irq_free_handler: bad irq number %d\n", irq);
 		return;
 	}
@@ -97,7 +97,7 @@
 {
 	int irq = hw_irq - 0x20;
 
-	if (irq < 0 || irq >= CONFIG_SYS_NUM_IRQS) {
+	if (irq < 0 || irq >= SYS_NUM_IRQS) {
 		printf("do_irq: bad irq number %d\n", irq);
 		return;
 	}
@@ -130,7 +130,7 @@
 	printf("Interrupt-Information:\n");
 	printf("Nr  Routine   Arg       Count\n");
 
-	for (irq = 0; irq < CONFIG_SYS_NUM_IRQS; irq++) {
+	for (irq = 0; irq < SYS_NUM_IRQS; irq++) {
 		if (irq_handlers[irq].handler != NULL) {
 			printf("%02d  %08lx  %08lx  %d\n",
 					irq,
diff --git a/arch/x86/lib/pcat_interrupts.c b/arch/x86/lib/pcat_interrupts.c
index a9af87e..3704aaf 100644
--- a/arch/x86/lib/pcat_interrupts.c
+++ b/arch/x86/lib/pcat_interrupts.c
@@ -20,10 +20,6 @@
 #include <asm/ibmpc.h>
 #include <asm/interrupt.h>
 
-#if CONFIG_SYS_NUM_IRQS != 16
-#error "CONFIG_SYS_NUM_IRQS must equal 16 if CONFIG_SYS_NUM_IRQS is defined"
-#endif
-
 int i8259_init(void)
 {
 	u8 i;
@@ -70,7 +66,7 @@
 {
 	int imr_port;
 
-	if (irq >= CONFIG_SYS_NUM_IRQS)
+	if (irq >= SYS_NUM_IRQS)
 		return;
 
 	if (irq > 7)
@@ -85,7 +81,7 @@
 {
 	int imr_port;
 
-	if (irq >= CONFIG_SYS_NUM_IRQS)
+	if (irq >= SYS_NUM_IRQS)
 		return;
 
 	if (irq > 7)
@@ -98,7 +94,7 @@
 
 void specific_eoi(int irq)
 {
-	if (irq >= CONFIG_SYS_NUM_IRQS)
+	if (irq >= SYS_NUM_IRQS)
 		return;
 
 	if (irq > 7) {