diff --git a/drivers/i2c/i2c-core.c b/drivers/i2c/i2c-core.c
index 52b2cd4ac8b2..8b93a262e237 100644
--- a/drivers/i2c/i2c-core.c
+++ b/drivers/i2c/i2c-core.c
@@ -924,8 +924,6 @@ static int i2c_device_probe(struct device *dev)
 	}
 
 	driver = to_i2c_driver(dev->driver);
-	if (!driver->probe)
-		return -EINVAL;
 
 	/*
 	 * An I2C ID table is not mandatory, if and only if, a suitable Device
@@ -967,7 +965,18 @@ static int i2c_device_probe(struct device *dev)
 	if (status == -EPROBE_DEFER)
 		goto err_clear_wakeup_irq;
 
-	status = driver->probe(client, i2c_match_id(driver->id_table, client));
+	/*
+	 * When there are no more users of probe(),
+	 * rename probe_new to probe.
+	 */
+	if (driver->probe_new)
+		status = driver->probe_new(client);
+	else if (driver->probe)
+		status = driver->probe(client,
+				       i2c_match_id(driver->id_table, client));
+	else
+		status = -EINVAL;
+
 	if (status)
 		goto err_detach_pm_domain;
 
diff --git a/include/linux/i2c.h b/include/linux/i2c.h
index 7e00efd6a62f..82cf90945bb8 100644
--- a/include/linux/i2c.h
+++ b/include/linux/i2c.h
@@ -135,7 +135,8 @@ enum i2c_alert_protocol {
  * struct i2c_driver - represent an I2C device driver
  * @class: What kind of i2c device we instantiate (for detect)
  * @attach_adapter: Callback for bus addition (deprecated)
- * @probe: Callback for device binding
+ * @probe: Callback for device binding - soon to be deprecated
+ * @probe_new: New callback for device binding
  * @remove: Callback for device unbinding
  * @shutdown: Callback for device shutdown
  * @alert: Alert callback, for example for the SMBus alert protocol
@@ -178,6 +179,11 @@ struct i2c_driver {
 	int (*probe)(struct i2c_client *, const struct i2c_device_id *);
 	int (*remove)(struct i2c_client *);
 
+	/* New driver model interface to aid the seamless removal of the
+	 * current probe()'s, more commonly unused than used second parameter.
+	 */
+	int (*probe_new)(struct i2c_client *);
+
 	/* driver model interfaces that don't relate to enumeration  */
 	void (*shutdown)(struct i2c_client *);