diff --git a/arch/alpha/Kconfig b/arch/alpha/Kconfig
index bf9e9d3b3792..f515a4dbf7a0 100644
--- a/arch/alpha/Kconfig
+++ b/arch/alpha/Kconfig
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ config ALPHA
 	default y
 	select ARCH_MIGHT_HAVE_PC_PARPORT
 	select ARCH_MIGHT_HAVE_PC_SERIO
+	select ARCH_USE_CMPXCHG_LOCKREF
 	select HAVE_AOUT
 	select HAVE_IDE
 	select HAVE_OPROFILE
diff --git a/arch/alpha/include/asm/spinlock.h b/arch/alpha/include/asm/spinlock.h
index 37b570d01202..fed9c6f44c19 100644
--- a/arch/alpha/include/asm/spinlock.h
+++ b/arch/alpha/include/asm/spinlock.h
@@ -16,6 +16,11 @@
 #define arch_spin_unlock_wait(x) \
 		do { cpu_relax(); } while ((x)->lock)
 
+static inline int arch_spin_value_unlocked(arch_spinlock_t lock)
+{
+        return lock.lock == 0;
+}
+
 static inline void arch_spin_unlock(arch_spinlock_t * lock)
 {
 	mb();