diff --git a/drivers/staging/greybus/operation.h b/drivers/staging/greybus/operation.h
index 7529f01b2529..bfec1e93384e 100644
--- a/drivers/staging/greybus/operation.h
+++ b/drivers/staging/greybus/operation.h
@@ -105,6 +105,8 @@ struct gb_operation {
 
 	int			active;
 	struct list_head	links;		/* connection->operations */
+
+	void			*private;
 };
 
 static inline bool
@@ -206,6 +208,17 @@ static inline int gb_operation_unidirectional(struct gb_connection *connection,
 			request, request_size, GB_OPERATION_TIMEOUT_DEFAULT);
 }
 
+static inline void *gb_operation_get_data(struct gb_operation *operation)
+{
+	return operation->private;
+}
+
+static inline void gb_operation_set_data(struct gb_operation *operation,
+					 void *data)
+{
+	operation->private = data;
+}
+
 int gb_operation_init(void);
 void gb_operation_exit(void);