diff --git a/drivers/media/dvb-core/dvbdev.c b/drivers/media/dvb-core/dvbdev.c
index 0694d1d53c677ac45ce75be3558c960acb148587..38c844667789361d1385f6609b30fedade294bcd 100644
--- a/drivers/media/dvb-core/dvbdev.c
+++ b/drivers/media/dvb-core/dvbdev.c
@@ -528,7 +528,7 @@ int dvb_register_device(struct dvb_adapter *adap, struct dvb_device **pdvbdev,
 EXPORT_SYMBOL(dvb_register_device);
 
 
-void dvb_unregister_device(struct dvb_device *dvbdev)
+void dvb_remove_device(struct dvb_device *dvbdev)
 {
 	if (!dvbdev)
 		return;
@@ -542,9 +542,26 @@ void dvb_unregister_device(struct dvb_device *dvbdev)
 	device_destroy(dvb_class, MKDEV(DVB_MAJOR, dvbdev->minor));
 
 	list_del (&dvbdev->list_head);
+}
+EXPORT_SYMBOL(dvb_remove_device);
+
+
+void dvb_free_device(struct dvb_device *dvbdev)
+{
+	if (!dvbdev)
+		return;
+
 	kfree (dvbdev->fops);
 	kfree (dvbdev);
 }
+EXPORT_SYMBOL(dvb_free_device);
+
+
+void dvb_unregister_device(struct dvb_device *dvbdev)
+{
+	dvb_remove_device(dvbdev);
+	dvb_free_device(dvbdev);
+}
 EXPORT_SYMBOL(dvb_unregister_device);
 
 
diff --git a/drivers/media/dvb-core/dvbdev.h b/drivers/media/dvb-core/dvbdev.h
index 4aff7bd3dea89415cc98074116e94b8f07f38198..576bbd4445b5fa6994af6bfd923ef1853b079908 100644
--- a/drivers/media/dvb-core/dvbdev.h
+++ b/drivers/media/dvb-core/dvbdev.h
@@ -211,9 +211,32 @@ int dvb_register_device(struct dvb_adapter *adap,
 			int type,
 			int demux_sink_pads);
 
+/**
+ * dvb_remove_device - Remove a registered DVB device
+ *
+ * This does not free memory.  To do that, call dvb_free_device().
+ *
+ * @dvbdev:	pointer to struct dvb_device
+ */
+void dvb_remove_device(struct dvb_device *dvbdev);
+
+/**
+ * dvb_free_device - Free memory occupied by a DVB device.
+ *
+ * Call dvb_unregister_device() before calling this function.
+ *
+ * @dvbdev:	pointer to struct dvb_device
+ */
+void dvb_free_device(struct dvb_device *dvbdev);
+
 /**
  * dvb_unregister_device - Unregisters a DVB device
  *
+ * This is a combination of dvb_remove_device() and dvb_free_device().
+ * Using this function is usually a mistake, and is often an indicator
+ * for a use-after-free bug (when a userspace process keeps a file
+ * handle to a detached device).
+ *
  * @dvbdev:	pointer to struct dvb_device
  */
 void dvb_unregister_device(struct dvb_device *dvbdev);