diff --git a/drivers/core/device.c b/drivers/core/device.c
index d9ce546c0c..6e26b64fb8 100644
--- a/drivers/core/device.c
+++ b/drivers/core/device.c
@@ -654,7 +654,8 @@ void *dev_get_priv(const struct udevice *dev)
 	return dm_priv_to_rw(dev->priv_);
 }
 
-void *dev_get_uclass_priv(const struct udevice *dev)
+/* notrace is needed as this is called by timer_get_rate() */
+notrace void *dev_get_uclass_priv(const struct udevice *dev)
 {
 	if (!dev) {
 		dm_warn("%s: null device\n", __func__);
diff --git a/drivers/timer/timer-uclass.c b/drivers/timer/timer-uclass.c
index bb71979213..f4b871ac23 100644
--- a/drivers/timer/timer-uclass.c
+++ b/drivers/timer/timer-uclass.c
@@ -136,7 +136,7 @@ u64 timer_conv_64(u32 count)
 	return ((u64)gd->timebase_h << 32) | gd->timebase_l;
 }
 
-int notrace dm_timer_init(void)
+int dm_timer_init(void)
 {
 	struct udevice *dev = NULL;
 	__maybe_unused ofnode node;
diff --git a/include/timer.h b/include/timer.h
index d33a26e28f..311ce6b2c3 100644
--- a/include/timer.h
+++ b/include/timer.h
@@ -9,11 +9,16 @@
 #define timer_get_ops(dev)	((struct timer_ops *)(dev)->driver->ops)
 
 /**
- * dm_timer_init() - initialize a timer for time keeping. On success
- * initializes gd->timer so that lib/timer can use it for future
- * referrence.
+ * dm_timer_init() - set up a timer for time keeping
  *
- * Return: 0 on success or error number
+ * Sets up gd->timer if the device is not already bound, making sure it is
+ * probed and ready for use
+ *
+ * On success, inits gd->timer so that lib/timer can use it for future reference
+ *
+ * Returns: 0 on success, -EAGAIN if driver model is not ready yet, -ENODEV if
+ * no timer could be found, other error if the timer could not be bound or
+ * probed
  */
 int dm_timer_init(void);