diff --git a/Documentation/kernel-parameters.txt b/Documentation/kernel-parameters.txt
index aa47be7..9b8e62d 100644
--- a/Documentation/kernel-parameters.txt
+++ b/Documentation/kernel-parameters.txt
@@ -546,6 +546,9 @@
 			/proc/<pid>/coredump_filter.
 			See also Documentation/filesystems/proc.txt.
 
+	cpuidle.off=1	[CPU_IDLE]
+			disable the cpuidle sub-system
+
 	cpcihp_generic=	[HW,PCI] Generic port I/O CompactPCI driver
 			Format:
 			<first_slot>,<last_slot>,<port>,<enum_bit>[,<debug>]
diff --git a/drivers/cpuidle/cpuidle.c b/drivers/cpuidle/cpuidle.c
index bf50924..faae2c3 100644
--- a/drivers/cpuidle/cpuidle.c
+++ b/drivers/cpuidle/cpuidle.c
@@ -28,6 +28,12 @@
 static void (*pm_idle_old)(void);
 
 static int enabled_devices;
+static int off __read_mostly;
+
+int cpuidle_disabled(void)
+{
+	return off;
+}
 
 #if defined(CONFIG_ARCH_HAS_CPU_IDLE_WAIT)
 static void cpuidle_kick_cpus(void)
@@ -427,6 +433,9 @@
 {
 	int ret;
 
+	if (cpuidle_disabled())
+		return -ENODEV;
+
 	pm_idle_old = pm_idle;
 
 	ret = cpuidle_add_class_sysfs(&cpu_sysdev_class);
@@ -438,4 +447,5 @@
 	return 0;
 }
 
+module_param(off, int, 0444);
 core_initcall(cpuidle_init);
diff --git a/drivers/cpuidle/cpuidle.h b/drivers/cpuidle/cpuidle.h
index 33e50d5..38c3fd8 100644
--- a/drivers/cpuidle/cpuidle.h
+++ b/drivers/cpuidle/cpuidle.h
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@
 extern struct list_head cpuidle_detected_devices;
 extern struct mutex cpuidle_lock;
 extern spinlock_t cpuidle_driver_lock;
+extern int cpuidle_disabled(void);
 
 /* idle loop */
 extern void cpuidle_install_idle_handler(void);
diff --git a/drivers/cpuidle/driver.c b/drivers/cpuidle/driver.c
index fd1601e..3f7e3ce 100644
--- a/drivers/cpuidle/driver.c
+++ b/drivers/cpuidle/driver.c
@@ -26,6 +26,9 @@
 	if (!drv)
 		return -EINVAL;
 
+	if (cpuidle_disabled())
+		return -ENODEV;
+
 	spin_lock(&cpuidle_driver_lock);
 	if (cpuidle_curr_driver) {
 		spin_unlock(&cpuidle_driver_lock);
diff --git a/drivers/cpuidle/governor.c b/drivers/cpuidle/governor.c
index 724c164..ea2f8e7 100644
--- a/drivers/cpuidle/governor.c
+++ b/drivers/cpuidle/governor.c
@@ -81,6 +81,9 @@
 	if (!gov || !gov->select)
 		return -EINVAL;
 
+	if (cpuidle_disabled())
+		return -ENODEV;
+
 	mutex_lock(&cpuidle_lock);
 	if (__cpuidle_find_governor(gov->name) == NULL) {
 		ret = 0;