diff --git a/drivers/firewire/core-card.c b/drivers/firewire/core-card.c
index 32cf6b3344cd..bf2e7f55b83e 100644
--- a/drivers/firewire/core-card.c
+++ b/drivers/firewire/core-card.c
@@ -425,7 +425,7 @@ static void bm_work(struct work_struct *work)
 	 */
 	card->bm_generation = generation;
 
-	if (card->gap_count == 0) {
+	if (card->gap_count == GAP_COUNT_MISMATCHED) {
 		/*
 		 * If self IDs have inconsistent gap counts, do a
 		 * bus reset ASAP. The config rom read might never
diff --git a/drivers/firewire/core-topology.c b/drivers/firewire/core-topology.c
index 74a6aa7d8cc9..5f8fb1201d80 100644
--- a/drivers/firewire/core-topology.c
+++ b/drivers/firewire/core-topology.c
@@ -241,7 +241,7 @@ static struct fw_node *build_tree(struct fw_card *card, const u32 *sid, int self
 		// If PHYs report different gap counts, set an invalid count which will force a gap
 		// count reconfiguration and a reset.
 		if (phy_packet_self_id_zero_get_gap_count(self_id_sequence[0]) != gap_count)
-			gap_count = 0;
+			gap_count = GAP_COUNT_MISMATCHED;
 
 		update_hop_count(node);
 
diff --git a/drivers/firewire/core.h b/drivers/firewire/core.h
index 083e39034c37..79eb57fd5812 100644
--- a/drivers/firewire/core.h
+++ b/drivers/firewire/core.h
@@ -27,6 +27,9 @@ struct fw_packet;
 
 /* -card */
 
+// This is the arbitrary value we use to indicate a mismatched gap count.
+#define GAP_COUNT_MISMATCHED	0
+
 extern __printf(2, 3)
 void fw_err(const struct fw_card *card, const char *fmt, ...);
 extern __printf(2, 3)