diff --git a/fs/Kconfig b/fs/Kconfig
index 7385e54..312393f 100644
--- a/fs/Kconfig
+++ b/fs/Kconfig
@@ -96,6 +96,7 @@
 menu "Pseudo filesystems"
 
 source "fs/proc/Kconfig"
+source "fs/kernfs/Kconfig"
 source "fs/sysfs/Kconfig"
 
 config TMPFS
diff --git a/fs/Makefile b/fs/Makefile
index 47ac07b..f9cb987 100644
--- a/fs/Makefile
+++ b/fs/Makefile
@@ -52,7 +52,8 @@
 obj-y				+= quota/
 
 obj-$(CONFIG_PROC_FS)		+= proc/
-obj-$(CONFIG_SYSFS)		+= sysfs/ kernfs/
+obj-$(CONFIG_KERNFS)		+= kernfs/
+obj-$(CONFIG_SYSFS)		+= sysfs/
 obj-$(CONFIG_CONFIGFS_FS)	+= configfs/
 obj-y				+= devpts/
 
diff --git a/fs/kernfs/Kconfig b/fs/kernfs/Kconfig
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..397b5f7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/fs/kernfs/Kconfig
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+#
+# KERNFS should be selected by its users
+#
+
+config KERNFS
+	bool
+	default n
diff --git a/fs/sysfs/Kconfig b/fs/sysfs/Kconfig
index 8c41fea..b275601 100644
--- a/fs/sysfs/Kconfig
+++ b/fs/sysfs/Kconfig
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 config SYSFS
 	bool "sysfs file system support" if EXPERT
 	default y
+	select KERNFS
 	help
 	The sysfs filesystem is a virtual filesystem that the kernel uses to
 	export internal kernel objects, their attributes, and their
diff --git a/include/linux/kernfs.h b/include/linux/kernfs.h
index 8736ee8..649497a 100644
--- a/include/linux/kernfs.h
+++ b/include/linux/kernfs.h
@@ -201,7 +201,7 @@
 #endif
 };
 
-#ifdef CONFIG_SYSFS
+#ifdef CONFIG_KERNFS
 
 static inline enum kernfs_node_type kernfs_type(struct kernfs_node *kn)
 {
@@ -284,7 +284,7 @@
 
 void kernfs_init(void);
 
-#else	/* CONFIG_SYSFS */
+#else	/* CONFIG_KERNFS */
 
 static inline enum kernfs_node_type kernfs_type(struct kernfs_node *kn)
 { return 0; }	/* whatever */
@@ -379,7 +379,7 @@
 
 static inline void kernfs_init(void) { }
 
-#endif	/* CONFIG_SYSFS */
+#endif	/* CONFIG_KERNFS */
 
 static inline struct kernfs_node *
 kernfs_find_and_get(struct kernfs_node *kn, const char *name)