diff --git a/drivers/iio/inkern.c b/drivers/iio/inkern.c
index c42aba6..b289915b 100644
--- a/drivers/iio/inkern.c
+++ b/drivers/iio/inkern.c
@@ -93,7 +93,8 @@
 }
 
 
-struct iio_channel *iio_channel_get(const char *name, const char *channel_name)
+static struct iio_channel *iio_channel_get_sys(const char *name,
+					       const char *channel_name)
 {
 	struct iio_map_internal *c_i = NULL, *c = NULL;
 	struct iio_channel *channel;
@@ -144,6 +145,14 @@
 	iio_device_put(c->indio_dev);
 	return ERR_PTR(err);
 }
+
+struct iio_channel *iio_channel_get(struct device *dev,
+				    const char *channel_name)
+{
+	const char *name = dev ? dev_name(dev) : NULL;
+
+	return iio_channel_get_sys(name, channel_name);
+}
 EXPORT_SYMBOL_GPL(iio_channel_get);
 
 void iio_channel_release(struct iio_channel *channel)