diff --git a/drivers/gpio/gpiolib-cdev.h b/drivers/gpio/gpiolib-cdev.h
index cb41dd757338..b42644cbffb8 100644
--- a/drivers/gpio/gpiolib-cdev.h
+++ b/drivers/gpio/gpiolib-cdev.h
@@ -7,22 +7,7 @@
 
 struct gpio_device;
 
-#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 */
diff --git a/drivers/gpio/gpiolib.c b/drivers/gpio/gpiolib.c
index 3cdf9effc13a..089ddcaa9bc6 100644
--- a/drivers/gpio/gpiolib.c
+++ b/drivers/gpio/gpiolib.c
@@ -480,11 +480,23 @@ static void gpiodevice_release(struct device *dev)
 	kfree(gdev);
 }
 
+#ifdef CONFIG_GPIO_CDEV
+#define gcdev_register(gdev, devt)	gpiolib_cdev_register((gdev), (devt))
+#define gcdev_unregister(gdev)		gpiolib_cdev_unregister((gdev))
+#else
+/*
+ * gpiolib_cdev_register() indirectly calls device_add(), which is still
+ * required even when cdev is not selected.
+ */
+#define gcdev_register(gdev, devt)	device_add(&(gdev)->dev)
+#define gcdev_unregister(gdev)		device_del(&(gdev)->dev)
+#endif
+
 static int gpiochip_setup_dev(struct gpio_device *gdev)
 {
 	int ret;
 
-	ret = gpiolib_cdev_register(gdev, gpio_devt);
+	ret = gcdev_register(gdev, gpio_devt);
 	if (ret)
 		return ret;
 
@@ -500,7 +512,7 @@ static int gpiochip_setup_dev(struct gpio_device *gdev)
 	return 0;
 
 err_remove_device:
-	gpiolib_cdev_unregister(gdev);
+	gcdev_unregister(gdev);
 	return ret;
 }
 
@@ -825,7 +837,7 @@ void gpiochip_remove(struct gpio_chip *gc)
 	 * be removed, else it will be dangling until the last user is
 	 * gone.
 	 */
-	gpiolib_cdev_unregister(gdev);
+	gcdev_unregister(gdev);
 	put_device(&gdev->dev);
 }
 EXPORT_SYMBOL_GPL(gpiochip_remove);