diff --git a/drivers/s390/char/tape_std.c b/drivers/s390/char/tape_std.c
index 1f5fab617b67..f7e75d9fedf6 100644
--- a/drivers/s390/char/tape_std.c
+++ b/drivers/s390/char/tape_std.c
@@ -53,7 +53,6 @@ int
 tape_std_assign(struct tape_device *device)
 {
 	int                  rc;
-	struct timer_list    timeout;
 	struct tape_request *request;
 
 	request = tape_alloc_request(2, 11);
@@ -70,7 +69,7 @@ tape_std_assign(struct tape_device *device)
 	 * So we set up a timeout for this call.
 	 */
 	timer_setup(&request->timer, tape_std_assign_timeout, 0);
-	mod_timer(&timeout, jiffies + 2 * HZ);
+	mod_timer(&request->timer, jiffies + msecs_to_jiffies(2000));
 
 	rc = tape_do_io_interruptible(device, request);