diff --git a/drivers/media/rc/ir-lirc-codec.c b/drivers/media/rc/ir-lirc-codec.c
index e5be920c0599..ed2c8a1ed8ca 100644
--- a/drivers/media/rc/ir-lirc-codec.c
+++ b/drivers/media/rc/ir-lirc-codec.c
@@ -384,6 +384,7 @@ static int ir_lirc_register(struct rc_dev *dev)
 	drv->code_length = sizeof(struct ir_raw_event) * 8;
 	drv->fops = &lirc_fops;
 	drv->dev = &dev->dev;
+	drv->rdev = dev;
 	drv->owner = THIS_MODULE;
 
 	drv->minor = lirc_register_driver(drv);
diff --git a/drivers/media/rc/lirc_dev.c b/drivers/media/rc/lirc_dev.c
index 8dc057b273f2..dc5cbffcd5a2 100644
--- a/drivers/media/rc/lirc_dev.c
+++ b/drivers/media/rc/lirc_dev.c
@@ -35,6 +35,7 @@
 #include <linux/device.h>
 #include <linux/cdev.h>
 
+#include <media/rc-core.h>
 #include <media/lirc.h>
 #include <media/lirc_dev.h>
 
@@ -467,6 +468,12 @@ int lirc_dev_fop_open(struct inode *inode, struct file *file)
 		goto error;
 	}
 
+	if (ir->d.rdev) {
+		retval = rc_open(ir->d.rdev);
+		if (retval)
+			goto error;
+	}
+
 	cdev = ir->cdev;
 	if (try_module_get(cdev->owner)) {
 		ir->open++;
@@ -511,6 +518,9 @@ int lirc_dev_fop_close(struct inode *inode, struct file *file)
 
 	WARN_ON(mutex_lock_killable(&lirc_dev_lock));
 
+	if (ir->d.rdev)
+		rc_close(ir->d.rdev);
+
 	ir->open--;
 	if (ir->attached) {
 		ir->d.set_use_dec(ir->d.data);
diff --git a/include/media/lirc_dev.h b/include/media/lirc_dev.h
index 168dd0b1bae2..78f0637ca68d 100644
--- a/include/media/lirc_dev.h
+++ b/include/media/lirc_dev.h
@@ -139,6 +139,7 @@ struct lirc_driver {
 	struct lirc_buffer *rbuf;
 	int (*set_use_inc) (void *data);
 	void (*set_use_dec) (void *data);
+	struct rc_dev *rdev;
 	const struct file_operations *fops;
 	struct device *dev;
 	struct module *owner;