int filetype, const char *buffer)
 {
        const char *b;
-       char *endp;
-       int count;
+       char temp[12];          /* 11 + 1 characters needed for a u32 */
+       int count, rc;
        struct dev_exception_item ex;
 
        if (!capable(CAP_SYS_ADMIN))
                ex.major = ~0;
                b++;
        } else if (isdigit(*b)) {
-               ex.major = simple_strtoul(b, &endp, 10);
-               b = endp;
+               memset(temp, 0, sizeof(temp));
+               for (count = 0; count < sizeof(temp) - 1; count++) {
+                       temp[count] = *b;
+                       b++;
+                       if (!isdigit(*b))
+                               break;
+               }
+               rc = kstrtou32(temp, 10, &ex.major);
+               if (rc)
+                       return -EINVAL;
        } else {
                return -EINVAL;
        }
                ex.minor = ~0;
                b++;
        } else if (isdigit(*b)) {
-               ex.minor = simple_strtoul(b, &endp, 10);
-               b = endp;
+               memset(temp, 0, sizeof(temp));
+               for (count = 0; count < sizeof(temp) - 1; count++) {
+                       temp[count] = *b;
+                       b++;
+                       if (!isdigit(*b))
+                               break;
+               }
+               rc = kstrtou32(temp, 10, &ex.minor);
+               if (rc)
+                       return -EINVAL;
        } else {
                return -EINVAL;
        }