diff --git a/sys/compat/linuxkpi/common/include/linux/kdev_t.h b/sys/compat/linuxkpi/common/include/linux/kdev_t.h
index 8dea1abaadfd..c0bb97e5ba42 100644
--- a/sys/compat/linuxkpi/common/include/linux/kdev_t.h
+++ b/sys/compat/linuxkpi/common/include/linux/kdev_t.h
@@ -35,4 +35,10 @@
 #define MINOR(dev)      minor((dev))
 #define MKDEV(ma, mi)   makedev((ma), (mi))
 
+static inline uint16_t
+old_encode_dev(dev_t dev)
+{
+	return ((MAJOR(dev) << 8) | MINOR(dev));
+}
+
 #endif	/* _LINUX_KDEV_T_H_ */