diff --git a/arch/arm/Kconfig b/arch/arm/Kconfig
index 64d19eff3faa..a322f58cdc90 100644
--- a/arch/arm/Kconfig
+++ b/arch/arm/Kconfig
@@ -1122,6 +1122,8 @@ source "drivers/i2c/Kconfig"
 
 source "drivers/spi/Kconfig"
 
+source "drivers/gpio/Kconfig"
+
 source "drivers/w1/Kconfig"
 
 source "drivers/power/Kconfig"
diff --git a/drivers/Kconfig b/drivers/Kconfig
index 3f8a231fe754..d74d9fbb9fd2 100644
--- a/drivers/Kconfig
+++ b/drivers/Kconfig
@@ -52,6 +52,8 @@ source "drivers/i2c/Kconfig"
 
 source "drivers/spi/Kconfig"
 
+source "drivers/gpio/Kconfig"
+
 source "drivers/w1/Kconfig"
 
 source "drivers/power/Kconfig"
diff --git a/drivers/Makefile b/drivers/Makefile
index 0ee9a8a4095e..f1c11db52a57 100644
--- a/drivers/Makefile
+++ b/drivers/Makefile
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@
 # Rewritten to use lists instead of if-statements.
 #
 
+obj-$(CONFIG_HAVE_GPIO_LIB)	+= gpio/
 obj-$(CONFIG_PCI)		+= pci/
 obj-$(CONFIG_PARISC)		+= parisc/
 obj-$(CONFIG_RAPIDIO)		+= rapidio/
diff --git a/drivers/gpio/Kconfig b/drivers/gpio/Kconfig
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..560687c4667e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/drivers/gpio/Kconfig
@@ -0,0 +1,32 @@
+#
+# GPIO infrastructure and expanders
+#
+
+config HAVE_GPIO_LIB
+	bool
+	help
+	  Platforms select gpiolib if they use this infrastructure
+	  for all their GPIOs, usually starting with ones integrated
+	  into SOC processors.
+
+menu "GPIO Support"
+	depends on HAVE_GPIO_LIB
+
+config DEBUG_GPIO
+	bool "Debug GPIO calls"
+	depends on DEBUG_KERNEL
+	help
+	  Say Y here to add some extra checks and diagnostics to GPIO calls.
+	  The checks help ensure that GPIOs have been properly initialized
+	  before they are used and that sleeping calls aren not made from
+	  nonsleeping contexts.  They can make bitbanged serial protocols
+	  slower.  The diagnostics help catch the type of setup errors
+	  that are most common when setting up new platforms or boards.
+
+# put expanders in the right section, in alphabetical order
+
+comment "I2C GPIO expanders:"
+
+comment "SPI GPIO expanders:"
+
+endmenu
diff --git a/drivers/gpio/Makefile b/drivers/gpio/Makefile
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..369e4fc432e3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/drivers/gpio/Makefile
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+# gpio support: dedicated expander chips, etc
+
+ccflags-$(CONFIG_DEBUG_GPIO)	+= -DDEBUG
+