diff --git a/drivers/gpio/gpiolib.c b/drivers/gpio/gpiolib.c
index 562e90bf73c9..f0b6ca9896af 100644
--- a/drivers/gpio/gpiolib.c
+++ b/drivers/gpio/gpiolib.c
@@ -444,12 +444,23 @@ static int linehandle_create(struct gpio_device *gdev, void __user *ip)
 	struct linehandle_state *lh;
 	struct file *file;
 	int fd, i, count = 0, ret;
+	u32 lflags;
 
 	if (copy_from_user(&handlereq, ip, sizeof(handlereq)))
 		return -EFAULT;
 	if ((handlereq.lines == 0) || (handlereq.lines > GPIOHANDLES_MAX))
 		return -EINVAL;
 
+	lflags = handlereq.flags;
+
+	/*
+	 * Do not allow both INPUT & OUTPUT flags to be set as they are
+	 * contradictory.
+	 */
+	if ((lflags & GPIOHANDLE_REQUEST_INPUT) &&
+	    (lflags & GPIOHANDLE_REQUEST_OUTPUT))
+		return -EINVAL;
+
 	lh = kzalloc(sizeof(*lh), GFP_KERNEL);
 	if (!lh)
 		return -ENOMEM;
@@ -470,7 +481,6 @@ static int linehandle_create(struct gpio_device *gdev, void __user *ip)
 	/* Request each GPIO */
 	for (i = 0; i < handlereq.lines; i++) {
 		u32 offset = handlereq.lineoffsets[i];
-		u32 lflags = handlereq.flags;
 		struct gpio_desc *desc;
 
 		if (offset >= gdev->ngpio) {