diff --git a/kernel/include/sensors_compat.h b/kernel/include/sensors_compat.h
index d9bfb492..ccde2b82 100644
--- a/kernel/include/sensors_compat.h
+++ b/kernel/include/sensors_compat.h
@@ -10,6 +10,8 @@
 #ifndef _SENSORS_COMPAT_H_
 #define _SENSORS_COMPAT_H_
 
+#include <linux/config.h>
+
 /* debugging and troubleshooting/diagnostic helpers. */
 #define dev_printk(level, dev, format, arg...)	\
 	printk(level "%s: " format , (dev)->name , ## arg)
@@ -28,4 +30,22 @@
 #define dev_warn(dev, format, arg...)		\
 	dev_printk(KERN_WARNING , dev , format , ## arg)
 
+
+/* The part below, taken from linux/init.h, is required for compatibility with
+   kernels 2.4.16 and older, which don't know about __devexit_p. */
+
+/* Functions marked as __devexit may be discarded at kernel link time, depending
+   on config options.  Newer versions of binutils detect references from
+   retained sections to discarded sections and flag an error.  Pointers to
+   __devexit functions must use __devexit_p(function_name), the wrapper will
+   insert either the function_name or NULL, depending on the config options.
+ */
+#ifndef __devexit_p
+#if defined(MODULE) || defined(CONFIG_HOTPLUG)
+#define __devexit_p(x) x
+#else
+#define __devexit_p(x) NULL
+#endif
+#endif /* __devexit_p */
+
 #endif /* _SENSORS_COMPAT_H_ */