diff --git a/arch/x86/kernel/hpet.c b/arch/x86/kernel/hpet.c
index 3a8ec363d569..640ff75cc523 100644
--- a/arch/x86/kernel/hpet.c
+++ b/arch/x86/kernel/hpet.c
@@ -228,8 +228,25 @@ static void __init hpet_reserve_platform_timers(void)
 	hpet_alloc(&hd);
 
 }
+
+static void __init hpet_select_device_channel(void)
+{
+	int i;
+
+	for (i = 0; i < hpet_base.nr_channels; i++) {
+		struct hpet_channel *hc = hpet_base.channels + i;
+
+		/* Associate the first unused channel to /dev/hpet */
+		if (hc->mode == HPET_MODE_UNUSED) {
+			hc->mode = HPET_MODE_DEVICE;
+			return;
+		}
+	}
+}
+
 #else
 static inline void hpet_reserve_platform_timers(void) { }
+static inline void hpet_select_device_channel(void) {}
 #endif
 
 /* Common HPET functions */