diff --git a/kernel/kmod.c b/kernel/kmod.c
index 426a614..0c407f90 100644
--- a/kernel/kmod.c
+++ b/kernel/kmod.c
@@ -528,7 +528,12 @@ struct subprocess_info *call_usermodehelper_setup(const char *path, char **argv,
 		goto out;
 
 	INIT_WORK(&sub_info->work, call_usermodehelper_exec_work);
+
+#ifdef CONFIG_STATIC_USERMODEHELPER
+	sub_info->path = CONFIG_STATIC_USERMODEHELPER_PATH;
+#else
 	sub_info->path = path;
+#endif
 	sub_info->argv = argv;
 	sub_info->envp = envp;
 
@@ -566,6 +571,15 @@ int call_usermodehelper_exec(struct subprocess_info *sub_info, int wait)
 		retval = -EBUSY;
 		goto out;
 	}
+
+	/*
+	 * If there is no binary for us to call, then just return and get out of
+	 * here.  This allows us to set STATIC_USERMODEHELPER_PATH to "" and
+	 * disable all call_usermodehelper() calls.
+	 */
+	if (strlen(sub_info->path) == 0)
+		goto out;
+
 	/*
 	 * Set the completion pointer only if there is a waiter.
 	 * This makes it possible to use umh_complete to free