diff --git a/drivers/staging/comedi/comedi_fops.c b/drivers/staging/comedi/comedi_fops.c
index 403324c895b1..5e5ddbdbad0b 100644
--- a/drivers/staging/comedi/comedi_fops.c
+++ b/drivers/staging/comedi/comedi_fops.c
@@ -111,6 +111,14 @@ int comedi_dev_put(struct comedi_device *dev)
 		return kref_put(&dev->refcount, comedi_dev_kref_release);
 	return 1;
 }
+EXPORT_SYMBOL_GPL(comedi_dev_put);
+
+static struct comedi_device *comedi_dev_get(struct comedi_device *dev)
+{
+	if (dev)
+		kref_get(&dev->refcount);
+	return dev;
+}
 
 static void comedi_device_cleanup(struct comedi_device *dev)
 {
@@ -209,6 +217,40 @@ struct comedi_device *comedi_dev_from_minor(unsigned minor)
 }
 EXPORT_SYMBOL_GPL(comedi_dev_from_minor);
 
+static struct comedi_device *comedi_dev_get_from_board_minor(unsigned minor)
+{
+	struct comedi_device *dev;
+
+	BUG_ON(minor >= COMEDI_NUM_BOARD_MINORS);
+	mutex_lock(&comedi_board_minor_table_lock);
+	dev = comedi_dev_get(comedi_board_minor_table[minor]);
+	mutex_unlock(&comedi_board_minor_table_lock);
+	return dev;
+}
+
+static struct comedi_device *comedi_dev_get_from_subdevice_minor(unsigned minor)
+{
+	struct comedi_device *dev;
+	struct comedi_subdevice *s;
+	unsigned int i = minor - COMEDI_NUM_BOARD_MINORS;
+
+	BUG_ON(i >= COMEDI_NUM_SUBDEVICE_MINORS);
+	mutex_lock(&comedi_subdevice_minor_table_lock);
+	s = comedi_subdevice_minor_table[i];
+	dev = comedi_dev_get(s ? s->device : NULL);
+	mutex_unlock(&comedi_subdevice_minor_table_lock);
+	return dev;
+}
+
+struct comedi_device *comedi_dev_get_from_minor(unsigned minor)
+{
+	if (minor < COMEDI_NUM_BOARD_MINORS)
+		return comedi_dev_get_from_board_minor(minor);
+	else
+		return comedi_dev_get_from_subdevice_minor(minor);
+}
+EXPORT_SYMBOL_GPL(comedi_dev_get_from_minor);
+
 static struct comedi_subdevice *
 comedi_read_subdevice(const struct comedi_device *dev, unsigned int minor)
 {
diff --git a/drivers/staging/comedi/comedidev.h b/drivers/staging/comedi/comedidev.h
index 08652dfa8c03..a9b1468aa17c 100644
--- a/drivers/staging/comedi/comedidev.h
+++ b/drivers/staging/comedi/comedidev.h
@@ -236,6 +236,8 @@ static const unsigned COMEDI_SUBDEVICE_MINOR_SHIFT = 4;
 static const unsigned COMEDI_SUBDEVICE_MINOR_OFFSET = 1;
 
 struct comedi_device *comedi_dev_from_minor(unsigned minor);
+struct comedi_device *comedi_dev_get_from_minor(unsigned minor);
+int comedi_dev_put(struct comedi_device *dev);
 
 void init_polling(void);
 void cleanup_polling(void);