--- a/drivers/char/Kconfig
+++ b/drivers/char/Kconfig
@@ -511,6 +511,14 @@ config NSC_GPIO
 	  pc8736x_gpio drivers.  If those drivers are built as
 	  modules, this one will be too, named nsc_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 RAW_DRIVER
 	tristate "RAW driver (/dev/raw/rawN)"
 	depends on BLOCK
--- a/drivers/char/Makefile
+++ b/drivers/char/Makefile
@@ -47,6 +47,7 @@ obj-$(CONFIG_NWFLASH)		+= nwflash.o
 obj-$(CONFIG_SCx200_GPIO)	+= scx200_gpio.o
 obj-$(CONFIG_PC8736x_GPIO)	+= pc8736x_gpio.o
 obj-$(CONFIG_NSC_GPIO)		+= nsc_gpio.o
+obj-$(CONFIG_GPIO_DEVICE)	+= gpio_dev.o
 obj-$(CONFIG_GPIO_TB0219)	+= tb0219.o
 obj-$(CONFIG_TELCLOCK)		+= tlclk.o