diff --git a/include/linux/kobject.h b/include/linux/kobject.h
index 5957c6a3fd7f..d9d4485ebad2 100644
--- a/include/linux/kobject.h
+++ b/include/linux/kobject.h
@@ -108,6 +108,8 @@ extern int __must_check kobject_rename(struct kobject *, const char *new_name);
 extern int __must_check kobject_move(struct kobject *, struct kobject *);
 
 extern struct kobject *kobject_get(struct kobject *kobj);
+extern struct kobject * __must_check kobject_get_unless_zero(
+						struct kobject *kobj);
 extern void kobject_put(struct kobject *kobj);
 
 extern const void *kobject_namespace(struct kobject *kobj);
diff --git a/lib/kobject.c b/lib/kobject.c
index 35d490b02cdd..cebbe79d2c65 100644
--- a/lib/kobject.c
+++ b/lib/kobject.c
@@ -599,12 +599,15 @@ struct kobject *kobject_get(struct kobject *kobj)
 }
 EXPORT_SYMBOL(kobject_get);
 
-static struct kobject * __must_check kobject_get_unless_zero(struct kobject *kobj)
+struct kobject * __must_check kobject_get_unless_zero(struct kobject *kobj)
 {
+	if (!kobj)
+		return NULL;
 	if (!kref_get_unless_zero(&kobj->kref))
 		kobj = NULL;
 	return kobj;
 }
+EXPORT_SYMBOL(kobject_get_unless_zero);
 
 /*
  * kobject_cleanup - free kobject resources.