diff --git a/drivers/gpio/Kconfig b/drivers/gpio/Kconfig
index c7292a50aec4..cbf8a60dec03 100644
--- a/drivers/gpio/Kconfig
+++ b/drivers/gpio/Kconfig
@@ -66,8 +66,21 @@ config GPIO_SYSFS
 
 	  This ABI is deprecated. If you want to use GPIO from userspace,
 	  use the character device /dev/gpiochipN with the appropriate
-	  ioctl() operations instead. The character device is always
-	  available.
+	  ioctl() operations instead.
+
+config GPIO_CDEV
+	bool
+	prompt "Character device (/dev/gpiochipN) support" if EXPERT
+	default y
+	help
+	  Say Y here to add the character device /dev/gpiochipN interface
+	  for GPIOs. The character device allows userspace to control GPIOs
+	  using ioctl() operations.
+
+	  Only say N if you are sure that the GPIO character device is not
+	  required.
+
+	  If unsure, say Y.
 
 config GPIO_GENERIC
 	depends on HAS_IOMEM # Only for IOMEM drivers
diff --git a/drivers/gpio/Makefile b/drivers/gpio/Makefile
index 639275eb4e4d..6c3791a55a7b 100644
--- a/drivers/gpio/Makefile
+++ b/drivers/gpio/Makefile
@@ -6,8 +6,8 @@ ccflags-$(CONFIG_DEBUG_GPIO)	+= -DDEBUG
 obj-$(CONFIG_GPIOLIB)		+= gpiolib.o
 obj-$(CONFIG_GPIOLIB)		+= gpiolib-devres.o
 obj-$(CONFIG_GPIOLIB)		+= gpiolib-legacy.o
-obj-$(CONFIG_GPIOLIB)		+= gpiolib-cdev.o
 obj-$(CONFIG_OF_GPIO)		+= gpiolib-of.o
+obj-$(CONFIG_GPIO_CDEV)		+= gpiolib-cdev.o
 obj-$(CONFIG_GPIO_SYSFS)	+= gpiolib-sysfs.o
 obj-$(CONFIG_GPIO_ACPI)		+= gpiolib-acpi.o
 
diff --git a/drivers/gpio/gpiolib-cdev.h b/drivers/gpio/gpiolib-cdev.h
index 973578e7ad10..19a4e3d57120 100644
--- a/drivers/gpio/gpiolib-cdev.h
+++ b/drivers/gpio/gpiolib-cdev.h
@@ -5,7 +5,22 @@
 
 #include <linux/device.h>
 
+#ifdef CONFIG_GPIO_CDEV
+
 int gpiolib_cdev_register(struct gpio_device *gdev, dev_t devt);
 void gpiolib_cdev_unregister(struct gpio_device *gdev);
 
+#else
+
+static inline int gpiolib_cdev_register(struct gpio_device *gdev, dev_t devt)
+{
+	return 0;
+}
+
+static inline void gpiolib_cdev_unregister(struct gpio_device *gdev)
+{
+}
+
+#endif /* CONFIG_GPIO_CDEV */
+
 #endif /* GPIOLIB_CDEV_H */