diff --git a/drivers/bluetooth/hci_ldisc.c b/drivers/bluetooth/hci_ldisc.c
index a6c2619..e5cd856 100644
--- a/drivers/bluetooth/hci_ldisc.c
+++ b/drivers/bluetooth/hci_ldisc.c
@@ -370,9 +370,7 @@
 	hu->hdev->stat.byte_rx += count;
 	spin_unlock(&hu->rx_lock);
 
-	if (test_and_clear_bit(TTY_THROTTLED, &tty->flags) &&
-					tty->ops->unthrottle)
-		tty->ops->unthrottle(tty);
+	tty_unthrottle(tty);
 }
 
 static int hci_uart_register_dev(struct hci_uart *hu)
diff --git a/drivers/char/n_tty.c b/drivers/char/n_tty.c
index abc93a9..19105ec 100644
--- a/drivers/char/n_tty.c
+++ b/drivers/char/n_tty.c
@@ -147,10 +147,8 @@
 
 static void check_unthrottle(struct tty_struct *tty)
 {
-	if (tty->count &&
-	    test_and_clear_bit(TTY_THROTTLED, &tty->flags) &&
-	    tty->ops->unthrottle)
-		tty->ops->unthrottle(tty);
+	if (tty->count)
+		tty_unthrottle(tty);
 }
 
 /**
@@ -982,12 +980,8 @@
 	 * mode.  We don't want to throttle the driver if we're in
 	 * canonical mode and don't have a newline yet!
 	 */
-	if (tty->receive_room < TTY_THRESHOLD_THROTTLE) {
-		/* check TTY_THROTTLED first so it indicates our state */
-		if (!test_and_set_bit(TTY_THROTTLED, &tty->flags) &&
-		    tty->ops->throttle)
-			tty->ops->throttle(tty);
-	}
+	if (tty->receive_room < TTY_THRESHOLD_THROTTLE)
+		tty_throttle(tty);
 }
 
 int is_ignored(int sig)
diff --git a/drivers/char/tty_ioctl.c b/drivers/char/tty_ioctl.c
index c10d40c..b1a757a 100644
--- a/drivers/char/tty_ioctl.c
+++ b/drivers/char/tty_ioctl.c
@@ -67,6 +67,22 @@
 
 EXPORT_SYMBOL(tty_driver_flush_buffer);
 
+void tty_throttle(struct tty_struct *tty)
+{
+	/* check TTY_THROTTLED first so it indicates our state */
+	if (!test_and_set_bit(TTY_THROTTLED, &tty->flags) &&
+	    tty->ops->throttle)
+		tty->ops->throttle(tty);
+}
+EXPORT_SYMBOL(tty_throttle);
+
+void tty_unthrottle(struct tty_struct *tty)
+{
+	if (test_and_clear_bit(TTY_THROTTLED, &tty->flags) &&
+	    tty->ops->unthrottle)
+		tty->ops->unthrottle(tty);
+}
+EXPORT_SYMBOL(tty_unthrottle);
 
 /**
  *	tty_wait_until_sent	-	wait for I/O to finish
diff --git a/drivers/net/hamradio/6pack.c b/drivers/net/hamradio/6pack.c
index 82a3626..9d57212 100644
--- a/drivers/net/hamradio/6pack.c
+++ b/drivers/net/hamradio/6pack.c
@@ -491,9 +491,7 @@
 	sixpack_decode(sp, buf, count1);
 
 	sp_put(sp);
-	if (test_and_clear_bit(TTY_THROTTLED, &tty->flags)
-	    && tty->ops->unthrottle)
-		tty->ops->unthrottle(tty);
+	tty_unthrottle(tty);
 }
 
 /*
diff --git a/drivers/net/hamradio/mkiss.c b/drivers/net/hamradio/mkiss.c
index ebcc5ad..6516603 100644
--- a/drivers/net/hamradio/mkiss.c
+++ b/drivers/net/hamradio/mkiss.c
@@ -936,9 +936,7 @@
 	}
 
 	mkiss_put(ax);
-	if (test_and_clear_bit(TTY_THROTTLED, &tty->flags)
-	    && tty->ops->unthrottle)
-		tty->ops->unthrottle(tty);
+	tty_unthrottle(tty);
 }
 
 /*
diff --git a/drivers/net/ppp_async.c b/drivers/net/ppp_async.c
index 1c4b7e3..f1a52de 100644
--- a/drivers/net/ppp_async.c
+++ b/drivers/net/ppp_async.c
@@ -361,9 +361,7 @@
 	if (!skb_queue_empty(&ap->rqueue))
 		tasklet_schedule(&ap->tsk);
 	ap_put(ap);
-	if (test_and_clear_bit(TTY_THROTTLED, &tty->flags)
-	    && tty->ops->unthrottle)
-		tty->ops->unthrottle(tty);
+	tty_unthrottle(tty);
 }
 
 static void
diff --git a/drivers/net/ppp_synctty.c b/drivers/net/ppp_synctty.c
index 48ed5fd..b8f0369 100644
--- a/drivers/net/ppp_synctty.c
+++ b/drivers/net/ppp_synctty.c
@@ -401,9 +401,7 @@
 	if (!skb_queue_empty(&ap->rqueue))
 		tasklet_schedule(&ap->tsk);
 	sp_put(ap);
-	if (test_and_clear_bit(TTY_THROTTLED, &tty->flags)
-	    && tty->ops->unthrottle)
-		tty->ops->unthrottle(tty);
+	tty_unthrottle(tty);
 }
 
 static void
diff --git a/include/linux/tty.h b/include/linux/tty.h
index c36a76d..7f7121f 100644
--- a/include/linux/tty.h
+++ b/include/linux/tty.h
@@ -303,6 +303,8 @@
 extern int tty_chars_in_buffer(struct tty_struct *tty);
 extern int tty_write_room(struct tty_struct *tty);
 extern void tty_driver_flush_buffer(struct tty_struct *tty);
+extern void tty_throttle(struct tty_struct *tty);
+extern void tty_unthrottle(struct tty_struct *tty);
 
 extern int is_current_pgrp_orphaned(void);
 extern struct pid *tty_get_pgrp(struct tty_struct *tty);
diff --git a/include/linux/tty_driver.h b/include/linux/tty_driver.h
index f80d73b..59f1c0b 100644
--- a/include/linux/tty_driver.h
+++ b/include/linux/tty_driver.h
@@ -100,6 +100,8 @@
  * 	This routine notifies the tty driver that input buffers for
  * 	the line discipline are close to full, and it should somehow
  * 	signal that no more characters should be sent to the tty.
+ *
+ *	Optional: Always invoke via tty_throttle();
  * 
  * void (*unthrottle)(struct tty_struct * tty);
  *
@@ -107,6 +109,8 @@
  * 	that characters can now be sent to the tty without fear of
  * 	overrunning the input buffers of the line disciplines.
  * 
+ *	Optional: Always invoke via tty_unthrottle();
+ *
  * void (*stop)(struct tty_struct *tty);
  *
  * 	This routine notifies the tty driver that it should stop