diff --git a/fs/kernfs/file.c b/fs/kernfs/file.c
index 9414a7a60a9f..7aefaca876a0 100644
--- a/fs/kernfs/file.c
+++ b/fs/kernfs/file.c
@@ -120,13 +120,8 @@ static void *kernfs_seq_start(struct seq_file *sf, loff_t *ppos)
 		if (next == ERR_PTR(-ENODEV))
 			kernfs_seq_stop_active(sf, next);
 		return next;
-	} else {
-		/*
-		 * The same behavior and code as single_open().  Returns
-		 * !NULL if pos is at the beginning; otherwise, NULL.
-		 */
-		return NULL + !*ppos;
 	}
+	return single_start(sf, ppos);
 }
 
 static void *kernfs_seq_next(struct seq_file *sf, void *v, loff_t *ppos)
diff --git a/fs/seq_file.c b/fs/seq_file.c
index f8e1f4ee87ff..7ab8a58c29b6 100644
--- a/fs/seq_file.c
+++ b/fs/seq_file.c
@@ -554,9 +554,9 @@ int seq_dentry(struct seq_file *m, struct dentry *dentry, const char *esc)
 }
 EXPORT_SYMBOL(seq_dentry);
 
-static void *single_start(struct seq_file *p, loff_t *pos)
+void *single_start(struct seq_file *p, loff_t *pos)
 {
-	return NULL + (*pos == 0);
+	return *pos ? NULL : SEQ_START_TOKEN;
 }
 
 static void *single_next(struct seq_file *p, void *v, loff_t *pos)
diff --git a/include/linux/seq_file.h b/include/linux/seq_file.h
index 88cc16444b43..60820ab511d2 100644
--- a/include/linux/seq_file.h
+++ b/include/linux/seq_file.h
@@ -162,6 +162,7 @@ int seq_dentry(struct seq_file *, struct dentry *, const char *);
 int seq_path_root(struct seq_file *m, const struct path *path,
 		  const struct path *root, const char *esc);
 
+void *single_start(struct seq_file *, loff_t *);
 int single_open(struct file *, int (*)(struct seq_file *, void *), void *);
 int single_open_size(struct file *, int (*)(struct seq_file *, void *), void *, size_t);
 int single_release(struct inode *, struct file *);