diff --git a/drivers/acpi/acpica/dspkginit.c b/drivers/acpi/acpica/dspkginit.c
index 6d487edfe2de..915a3c215653 100644
--- a/drivers/acpi/acpica/dspkginit.c
+++ b/drivers/acpi/acpica/dspkginit.c
@@ -47,6 +47,7 @@
 #include "amlcode.h"
 #include "acdispat.h"
 #include "acinterp.h"
+#include "acparser.h"
 
 #define _COMPONENT          ACPI_NAMESPACE
 ACPI_MODULE_NAME("dspkginit")
@@ -94,12 +95,19 @@ acpi_ds_build_internal_package_obj(struct acpi_walk_state *walk_state,
 	union acpi_parse_object *parent;
 	union acpi_operand_object *obj_desc = NULL;
 	acpi_status status = AE_OK;
+	u8 module_level_code = FALSE;
 	u16 reference_count;
 	u32 index;
 	u32 i;
 
 	ACPI_FUNCTION_TRACE(ds_build_internal_package_obj);
 
+	/* Check if we are executing module level code */
+
+	if (walk_state->parse_flags & ACPI_PARSE_MODULE_LEVEL) {
+		module_level_code = TRUE;
+	}
+
 	/* Find the parent of a possibly nested package */
 
 	parent = op->common.parent;
@@ -130,24 +138,44 @@ acpi_ds_build_internal_package_obj(struct acpi_walk_state *walk_state,
 
 	/*
 	 * Allocate the element array (array of pointers to the individual
-	 * objects) based on the num_elements parameter. Add an extra pointer slot
-	 * so that the list is always null terminated.
+	 * objects) if necessary. the count is based on the num_elements
+	 * parameter. Add an extra pointer slot so that the list is always
+	 * null terminated.
 	 */
-	obj_desc->package.elements = ACPI_ALLOCATE_ZEROED(((acpi_size)
-							   element_count +
-							   1) * sizeof(void *));
-
 	if (!obj_desc->package.elements) {
-		acpi_ut_delete_object_desc(obj_desc);
-		return_ACPI_STATUS(AE_NO_MEMORY);
+		obj_desc->package.elements = ACPI_ALLOCATE_ZEROED(((acpi_size)
+								   element_count
+								   +
+								   1) *
+								  sizeof(void
+									 *));
+
+		if (!obj_desc->package.elements) {
+			acpi_ut_delete_object_desc(obj_desc);
+			return_ACPI_STATUS(AE_NO_MEMORY);
+		}
+
+		obj_desc->package.count = element_count;
 	}
 
-	obj_desc->package.count = element_count;
+	/* First arg is element count. Second arg begins the initializer list */
+
 	arg = op->common.value.arg;
 	arg = arg->common.next;
 
-	if (arg) {
-		obj_desc->package.flags |= AOPOBJ_DATA_VALID;
+	/*
+	 * If we are executing module-level code, we will defer the
+	 * full resolution of the package elements in order to support
+	 * forward references from the elements. This provides
+	 * compatibility with other ACPI implementations.
+	 */
+	if (module_level_code) {
+		obj_desc->package.aml_start = walk_state->aml;
+		obj_desc->package.aml_length = 0;
+
+		ACPI_DEBUG_PRINT_RAW((ACPI_DB_PARSE,
+				      "%s: Deferring resolution of Package elements\n",
+				      ACPI_GET_FUNCTION_NAME));
 	}
 
 	/*
@@ -187,15 +215,19 @@ acpi_ds_build_internal_package_obj(struct acpi_walk_state *walk_state,
 					    "****DS namepath not found"));
 			}
 
-			/*
-			 * Initialize this package element. This function handles the
-			 * resolution of named references within the package.
-			 */
-			acpi_ds_init_package_element(0,
-						     obj_desc->package.
-						     elements[i], NULL,
-						     &obj_desc->package.
-						     elements[i]);
+			if (!module_level_code) {
+				/*
+				 * Initialize this package element. This function handles the
+				 * resolution of named references within the package.
+				 * Forward references from module-level code are deferred
+				 * until all ACPI tables are loaded.
+				 */
+				acpi_ds_init_package_element(0,
+							     obj_desc->package.
+							     elements[i], NULL,
+							     &obj_desc->package.
+							     elements[i]);
+			}
 		}
 
 		if (*obj_desc_ptr) {
@@ -265,15 +297,21 @@ acpi_ds_build_internal_package_obj(struct acpi_walk_state *walk_state,
 		 * num_elements count.
 		 *
 		 * Note: this is not an error, the package is padded out
-		 * with NULLs.
+		 * with NULLs as per the ACPI specification.
 		 */
-		ACPI_DEBUG_PRINT((ACPI_DB_INFO,
-				  "Package List length (%u) smaller than NumElements "
-				  "count (%u), padded with null elements\n",
-				  i, element_count));
+		ACPI_DEBUG_PRINT_RAW((ACPI_DB_INFO,
+				      "%s: Package List length (%u) smaller than NumElements "
+				      "count (%u), padded with null elements\n",
+				      ACPI_GET_FUNCTION_NAME, i,
+				      element_count));
+	}
+
+	/* Module-level packages will be resolved later */
+
+	if (!module_level_code) {
+		obj_desc->package.flags |= AOPOBJ_DATA_VALID;
 	}
 
-	obj_desc->package.flags |= AOPOBJ_DATA_VALID;
 	op->common.node = ACPI_CAST_PTR(struct acpi_namespace_node, obj_desc);
 	return_ACPI_STATUS(status);
 }
@@ -360,6 +398,10 @@ acpi_ds_resolve_package_element(union acpi_operand_object **element_ptr)
 	/* Check if reference element is already resolved */
 
 	if (element->reference.resolved) {
+		ACPI_DEBUG_PRINT_RAW((ACPI_DB_PARSE,
+				      "%s: Package element is already resolved\n",
+				      ACPI_GET_FUNCTION_NAME));
+
 		return_VOID;
 	}
 
@@ -380,7 +422,10 @@ acpi_ds_resolve_package_element(union acpi_operand_object **element_ptr)
 				"Could not find/resolve named package element: %s",
 				external_path));
 
+		/* Not found, set the element to NULL */
+
 		ACPI_FREE(external_path);
+		acpi_ut_remove_reference(*element_ptr);
 		*element_ptr = NULL;
 		return_VOID;
 	} else if (resolved_node->type == ACPI_TYPE_ANY) {
@@ -394,23 +439,6 @@ acpi_ds_resolve_package_element(union acpi_operand_object **element_ptr)
 		*element_ptr = NULL;
 		return_VOID;
 	}
-#if 0
-	else if (resolved_node->flags & ANOBJ_TEMPORARY) {
-		/*
-		 * A temporary node found here indicates that the reference is
-		 * to a node that was created within this method. We are not
-		 * going to allow it (especially if the package is returned
-		 * from the method) -- the temporary node will be deleted out
-		 * from under the method. (05/2017).
-		 */
-		ACPI_ERROR((AE_INFO,
-			    "Package element refers to a temporary name [%4.4s], "
-			    "inserting a NULL element",
-			    resolved_node->name.ascii));
-		*element_ptr = NULL;
-		return_VOID;
-	}
-#endif
 
 	/*
 	 * Special handling for Alias objects. We need resolved_node to point
@@ -445,20 +473,6 @@ acpi_ds_resolve_package_element(union acpi_operand_object **element_ptr)
 	if (ACPI_FAILURE(status)) {
 		return_VOID;
 	}
-#if 0
-/* TBD - alias support */
-	/*
-	 * Special handling for Alias objects. We need to setup the type
-	 * and the Op->Common.Node to point to the Alias target. Note,
-	 * Alias has at most one level of indirection internally.
-	 */
-	type = op->common.node->type;
-	if (type == ACPI_TYPE_LOCAL_ALIAS) {
-		type = obj_desc->common.type;
-		op->common.node = ACPI_CAST_PTR(struct acpi_namespace_node,
-						op->common.node->object);
-	}
-#endif
 
 	switch (type) {
 		/*
diff --git a/drivers/acpi/acpica/dswexec.c b/drivers/acpi/acpica/dswexec.c
index 22f45d090733..9414e9bd73b3 100644
--- a/drivers/acpi/acpica/dswexec.c
+++ b/drivers/acpi/acpica/dswexec.c
@@ -576,8 +576,10 @@ acpi_status acpi_ds_exec_end_op(struct acpi_walk_state *walk_state)
 		case AML_TYPE_CREATE_OBJECT:
 
 			ACPI_DEBUG_PRINT((ACPI_DB_EXEC,
-					  "Executing CreateObject (Buffer/Package) Op=%p AMLPtr=%p\n",
-					  op, op->named.data));
+					  "Executing CreateObject (Buffer/Package) Op=%p Child=%p ParentOpcode=%4.4X\n",
+					  op, op->named.value.arg,
+					  op->common.parent->common.
+					  aml_opcode));
 
 			switch (op->common.parent->common.aml_opcode) {
 			case AML_NAME_OP:
diff --git a/drivers/acpi/acpica/nsparse.c b/drivers/acpi/acpica/nsparse.c
index 2fc33a5203f4..73b52c7b2b45 100644
--- a/drivers/acpi/acpica/nsparse.c
+++ b/drivers/acpi/acpica/nsparse.c
@@ -265,7 +265,9 @@ acpi_ns_parse_table(u32 table_index, struct acpi_namespace_node *start_node)
 	ACPI_FUNCTION_TRACE(ns_parse_table);
 
 	if (acpi_gbl_parse_table_as_term_list) {
-		ACPI_DEBUG_PRINT((ACPI_DB_PARSE, "**** Start load pass\n"));
+		ACPI_DEBUG_PRINT_RAW((ACPI_DB_PARSE,
+				      "%s: **** Start table execution pass\n",
+				      ACPI_GET_FUNCTION_NAME));
 
 		status = acpi_ns_execute_table(table_index, start_node);
 		if (ACPI_FAILURE(status)) {
diff --git a/drivers/acpi/acpica/pstree.c b/drivers/acpi/acpica/pstree.c
index c06d6e2fc7a5..0112345f78d6 100644
--- a/drivers/acpi/acpica/pstree.c
+++ b/drivers/acpi/acpica/pstree.c
@@ -295,6 +295,7 @@ union acpi_parse_object *acpi_ps_get_child(union acpi_parse_object *op)
 
 	case AML_BUFFER_OP:
 	case AML_PACKAGE_OP:
+	case AML_VARIABLE_PACKAGE_OP:
 	case AML_METHOD_OP:
 	case AML_IF_OP:
 	case AML_WHILE_OP:
diff --git a/include/acpi/acpixf.h b/include/acpi/acpixf.h
index e1dd1a8d42b6..bf6f2a5cfa7f 100644
--- a/include/acpi/acpixf.h
+++ b/include/acpi/acpixf.h
@@ -192,15 +192,19 @@ ACPI_INIT_GLOBAL(u8, acpi_gbl_do_not_use_xsdt, FALSE);
 
 /*
  * Optionally support group module level code.
+ * NOTE, this is essentially obsolete and will be removed soon
+ * (01/2018).
  */
-ACPI_INIT_GLOBAL(u8, acpi_gbl_group_module_level_code, TRUE);
+ACPI_INIT_GLOBAL(u8, acpi_gbl_group_module_level_code, FALSE);
 
 /*
  * Optionally support module level code by parsing the entire table as
  * a term_list. Default is FALSE, do not execute entire table until some
  * lock order issues are fixed.
+ * NOTE, this is essentially obsolete and will be removed soon
+ * (01/2018).
  */
-ACPI_INIT_GLOBAL(u8, acpi_gbl_parse_table_as_term_list, FALSE);
+ACPI_INIT_GLOBAL(u8, acpi_gbl_parse_table_as_term_list, TRUE);
 
 /*
  * Optionally use 32-bit FADT addresses if and when there is a conflict
