--- a/drivers/char/Kconfig
+++ b/drivers/char/Kconfig
@@ -946,6 +946,13 @@
 
 	  If compiled as a module, it will be called cs5535_gpio.
 
+config GPIO_DEVICE
+	tristate "GPIO device support"
+	depends on GENERIC_GPIO
+	help
+	  Say Y to enable Linux GPIO device support.  This allows control of
+	  GPIO pins using a character device
+
 config GPIO_VR41XX
 	tristate "NEC VR4100 series General-purpose I/O Unit support"
 	depends on CPU_VR41XX
--- a/drivers/char/Makefile
+++ b/drivers/char/Makefile
@@ -93,6 +93,7 @@
 obj-$(CONFIG_PC8736x_GPIO)	+= pc8736x_gpio.o
 obj-$(CONFIG_NSC_GPIO)		+= nsc_gpio.o
 obj-$(CONFIG_CS5535_GPIO)	+= cs5535_gpio.o
+obj-$(CONFIG_GPIO_DEVICE)	+= gpio_dev.o
 obj-$(CONFIG_GPIO_VR41XX)	+= vr41xx_giu.o
 obj-$(CONFIG_GPIO_TB0219)	+= tb0219.o
 obj-$(CONFIG_TELCLOCK)		+= tlclk.o