diff --git a/fs/proc/proc_sysctl.c b/fs/proc/proc_sysctl.c
index dcd56f84db7e..fddc50729632 100644
--- a/fs/proc/proc_sysctl.c
+++ b/fs/proc/proc_sysctl.c
@@ -168,10 +168,8 @@ static void init_header(struct ctl_table_header *head,
 	head->node = node;
 	if (node) {
 		struct ctl_table *entry;
-		for (entry = table; entry->procname; entry++, node++) {
-			rb_init_node(&node->node);
+		for (entry = table; entry->procname; entry++, node++)
 			node->header = head;
-		}
 	}
 }
 
diff --git a/include/linux/rbtree.h b/include/linux/rbtree.h
index e6a807720ded..2049087c43b7 100644
--- a/include/linux/rbtree.h
+++ b/include/linux/rbtree.h
@@ -67,17 +67,12 @@ static inline void rb_set_color(struct rb_node *rb, int color)
 #define RB_ROOT	(struct rb_root) { NULL, }
 #define	rb_entry(ptr, type, member) container_of(ptr, type, member)
 
-#define RB_EMPTY_ROOT(root)	((root)->rb_node == NULL)
-#define RB_EMPTY_NODE(node)	(rb_parent(node) == node)
-#define RB_CLEAR_NODE(node)	(rb_set_parent(node, node))
+#define RB_EMPTY_ROOT(root)  ((root)->rb_node == NULL)
+
+/* 'empty' nodes are nodes that are known not to be inserted in an rbree */
+#define RB_EMPTY_NODE(node)  ((node)->rb_parent_color == (unsigned long)(node))
+#define RB_CLEAR_NODE(node)  ((node)->rb_parent_color = (unsigned long)(node))
 
-static inline void rb_init_node(struct rb_node *rb)
-{
-	rb->rb_parent_color = 0;
-	rb->rb_right = NULL;
-	rb->rb_left = NULL;
-	RB_CLEAR_NODE(rb);
-}
 
 extern void rb_insert_color(struct rb_node *, struct rb_root *);
 extern void rb_erase(struct rb_node *, struct rb_root *);
diff --git a/include/linux/timerqueue.h b/include/linux/timerqueue.h
index 5088727478fd..a520fd70a59f 100644
--- a/include/linux/timerqueue.h
+++ b/include/linux/timerqueue.h
@@ -39,7 +39,7 @@ struct timerqueue_node *timerqueue_getnext(struct timerqueue_head *head)
 
 static inline void timerqueue_init(struct timerqueue_node *node)
 {
-	rb_init_node(&node->node);
+	RB_CLEAR_NODE(&node->node);
 }
 
 static inline void timerqueue_init_head(struct timerqueue_head *head)
diff --git a/lib/rbtree.c b/lib/rbtree.c
index d4175565dc2c..fe43c8c5f527 100644
--- a/lib/rbtree.c
+++ b/lib/rbtree.c
@@ -387,7 +387,7 @@ struct rb_node *rb_next(const struct rb_node *node)
 {
 	struct rb_node *parent;
 
-	if (rb_parent(node) == node)
+	if (RB_EMPTY_NODE(node))
 		return NULL;
 
 	/* If we have a right-hand child, go down and then left as far
@@ -416,7 +416,7 @@ struct rb_node *rb_prev(const struct rb_node *node)
 {
 	struct rb_node *parent;
 
-	if (rb_parent(node) == node)
+	if (RB_EMPTY_NODE(node))
 		return NULL;
 
 	/* If we have a left-hand child, go down and then right as far
diff --git a/net/ceph/osd_client.c b/net/ceph/osd_client.c
index ccbdfbba9e53..c1d756cc7448 100644
--- a/net/ceph/osd_client.c
+++ b/net/ceph/osd_client.c
@@ -221,7 +221,6 @@ struct ceph_osd_request *ceph_osdc_alloc_request(struct ceph_osd_client *osdc,
 	kref_init(&req->r_kref);
 	init_completion(&req->r_completion);
 	init_completion(&req->r_safe_completion);
-	rb_init_node(&req->r_node);
 	INIT_LIST_HEAD(&req->r_unsafe_item);
 	INIT_LIST_HEAD(&req->r_linger_item);
 	INIT_LIST_HEAD(&req->r_linger_osd);