diff --git a/sys/dev/gpio/gpiobus.c b/sys/dev/gpio/gpiobus.c
index 64fadb382a02..3551c9d228df 100644
--- a/sys/dev/gpio/gpiobus.c
+++ b/sys/dev/gpio/gpiobus.c
@@ -77,6 +77,8 @@ static int gpiobus_pin_set(device_t, device_t, uint32_t, unsigned int);
 static int gpiobus_pin_get(device_t, device_t, uint32_t, unsigned int*);
 static int gpiobus_pin_toggle(device_t, device_t, uint32_t);
 
+#define	GPIO_ACTIVE_LOW 1 /* XXX Note that nothing currently sets this flag */
+
 /*
  * XXX -> Move me to better place - gpio_subr.c?
  * Also, this function must be changed when interrupt configuration
@@ -135,6 +137,114 @@ gpio_check_flags(uint32_t caps, uint32_t flags)
 	return (0);
 }
 
+int
+gpio_pin_get_by_bus_pinnum(device_t busdev, uint32_t pinnum, gpio_pin_t *ppin)
+{
+	gpio_pin_t pin;
+	int err;
+
+	err = gpiobus_acquire_pin(busdev, pinnum);
+	if (err != 0)
+		return (EBUSY);
+
+	pin = malloc(sizeof(*pin), M_DEVBUF, M_WAITOK | M_ZERO);
+
+	pin->dev = device_get_parent(busdev);
+	pin->pin = pinnum;
+	GPIO_PIN_GETFLAGS(pin->dev, pin->pin, &pin->flags);
+
+	*ppin = pin;
+	return (0);
+}
+
+int
+gpio_pin_get_by_child_index(device_t childdev, uint32_t idx, gpio_pin_t *ppin)
+{
+	struct gpiobus_ivar *devi;
+
+	devi = GPIOBUS_IVAR(childdev);
+	if (idx >= devi->npins)
+		return (EINVAL);
+
+	return (gpio_pin_get_by_bus_pinnum(device_get_parent(childdev),
+	    devi->pins[idx], ppin));
+}
+
+int
+gpio_pin_getcaps(gpio_pin_t pin, uint32_t *caps)
+{
+
+	KASSERT(pin != NULL, ("GPIO pin is NULL."));
+	KASSERT(pin->dev != NULL, ("GPIO pin device is NULL."));
+	return (GPIO_PIN_GETCAPS(pin->dev, pin->pin, caps));
+}
+
+int
+gpio_pin_is_active(gpio_pin_t pin, bool *active)
+{
+	int rv;
+	uint32_t tmp;
+
+	KASSERT(pin != NULL, ("GPIO pin is NULL."));
+	KASSERT(pin->dev != NULL, ("GPIO pin device is NULL."));
+	rv = GPIO_PIN_GET(pin->dev, pin->pin, &tmp);
+	if (rv  != 0) {
+		return (rv);
+	}
+
+	if (pin->flags & GPIO_ACTIVE_LOW)
+		*active = tmp == 0;
+	else
+		*active = tmp != 0;
+	return (0);
+}
+
+void
+gpio_pin_release(gpio_pin_t gpio)
+{
+	device_t busdev;
+
+	if (gpio == NULL)
+		return;
+
+	KASSERT(gpio->dev != NULL, ("GPIO pin device is NULL."));
+
+	busdev = GPIO_GET_BUS(gpio->dev);
+	if (busdev != NULL)
+		gpiobus_release_pin(busdev, gpio->pin);
+
+	free(gpio, M_DEVBUF);
+}
+
+int
+gpio_pin_set_active(gpio_pin_t pin, bool active)
+{
+	int rv;
+	uint32_t tmp;
+
+	if (pin->flags & GPIO_ACTIVE_LOW)
+		tmp = active ? 0 : 1;
+	else
+		tmp = active ? 1 : 0;
+
+	KASSERT(pin != NULL, ("GPIO pin is NULL."));
+	KASSERT(pin->dev != NULL, ("GPIO pin device is NULL."));
+	rv = GPIO_PIN_SET(pin->dev, pin->pin, tmp);
+	return (rv);
+}
+
+int
+gpio_pin_setflags(gpio_pin_t pin, uint32_t flags)
+{
+	int rv;
+
+	KASSERT(pin != NULL, ("GPIO pin is NULL."));
+	KASSERT(pin->dev != NULL, ("GPIO pin device is NULL."));
+
+	rv = GPIO_PIN_SETFLAGS(pin->dev, pin->pin, flags);
+	return (rv);
+}
+
 static void
 gpiobus_print_pins(struct gpiobus_ivar *devi, char *buf, size_t buflen)
 {
@@ -370,8 +480,6 @@ gpiobus_parse_pins(struct gpiobus_softc *sc, device_t child, int mask)
 		devi->pins[npins++] = i;
 	}
 
-	if (gpiobus_acquire_child_pins(sc->sc_busdev, child) != 0)
-		return (EINVAL);
 	return (0);
 }
 
@@ -425,8 +533,6 @@ gpiobus_parse_pin_list(struct gpiobus_softc *sc, device_t child,
 		p = endp + 1;
 	}
 
-	if (gpiobus_acquire_child_pins(sc->sc_busdev, child) != 0)
-		return (EINVAL);
 	return (0);
 }
 
diff --git a/sys/dev/gpio/gpiobusvar.h b/sys/dev/gpio/gpiobusvar.h
index 08f0ccf904d0..e83ea62bc50d 100644
--- a/sys/dev/gpio/gpiobusvar.h
+++ b/sys/dev/gpio/gpiobusvar.h
@@ -141,7 +141,7 @@ int ofw_gpiobus_parse_gpios(device_t, char *, struct gpiobus_pin **);
 void ofw_gpiobus_register_provider(device_t);
 void ofw_gpiobus_unregister_provider(device_t);
 
-/* Consumers interface. */
+/* Acquire a pin by parsing FDT data. */
 int gpio_pin_get_by_ofw_name(device_t consumer, phandle_t node,
     char *name, gpio_pin_t *gpio);
 int gpio_pin_get_by_ofw_idx(device_t consumer, phandle_t node,
@@ -150,14 +150,29 @@ int gpio_pin_get_by_ofw_property(device_t consumer, phandle_t node,
     char *name, gpio_pin_t *gpio);
 int gpio_pin_get_by_ofw_propidx(device_t consumer, phandle_t node,
     char *name, int idx, gpio_pin_t *gpio);
+#endif /* FDT */
+
+/* Acquire a pin by bus and pin number. */
+int gpio_pin_get_by_bus_pinnum(device_t _bus, uint32_t _pinnum, gpio_pin_t *_gp);
+
+/* Acquire a pin by child and index (used by direct children of gpiobus). */
+int gpio_pin_get_by_child_index(device_t _child, uint32_t _idx, gpio_pin_t *_gp);
+
+/* Release a pin acquired via any gpio_pin_get_xxx() function. */
 void gpio_pin_release(gpio_pin_t gpio);
+
+/* Work with gpio pins acquired using the functions above. */
 int gpio_pin_getcaps(gpio_pin_t pin, uint32_t *caps);
 int gpio_pin_is_active(gpio_pin_t pin, bool *active);
 int gpio_pin_set_active(gpio_pin_t pin, bool active);
 int gpio_pin_setflags(gpio_pin_t pin, uint32_t flags);
-#endif
 struct resource *gpio_alloc_intr_resource(device_t consumer_dev, int *rid,
     u_int alloc_flags, gpio_pin_t pin, uint32_t intr_mode);
+
+/*
+ * Functions shared between gpiobus and other bus classes that derive from it;
+ * these should not be called directly by other drivers.
+ */
 int gpio_check_flags(uint32_t, uint32_t);
 device_t gpiobus_attach_bus(device_t);
 int gpiobus_detach_bus(device_t);
diff --git a/sys/dev/gpio/ofw_gpiobus.c b/sys/dev/gpio/ofw_gpiobus.c
index 940e54b6f04e..89d5006e5c34 100644
--- a/sys/dev/gpio/ofw_gpiobus.c
+++ b/sys/dev/gpio/ofw_gpiobus.c
@@ -43,8 +43,6 @@ __FBSDID("$FreeBSD$");
 
 #include "gpiobus_if.h"
 
-#define	GPIO_ACTIVE_LOW		1
-
 static struct ofw_gpiobus_devinfo *ofw_gpiobus_setup_devinfo(device_t,
 	device_t, phandle_t);
 static void ofw_gpiobus_destroy_devinfo(device_t, struct ofw_gpiobus_devinfo *);
@@ -140,82 +138,6 @@ gpio_pin_get_by_ofw_name(device_t consumer, phandle_t node,
 	return (gpio_pin_get_by_ofw_idx(consumer, node, idx, pin));
 }
 
-void
-gpio_pin_release(gpio_pin_t gpio)
-{
-	device_t busdev;
-
-	if (gpio == NULL)
-		return;
-
-	KASSERT(gpio->dev != NULL, ("invalid pin state"));
-
-	busdev = GPIO_GET_BUS(gpio->dev);
-	if (busdev != NULL)
-		gpiobus_release_pin(busdev, gpio->pin);
-
-	/* XXXX Unreserve pin. */
-	free(gpio, M_DEVBUF);
-}
-
-int
-gpio_pin_getcaps(gpio_pin_t pin, uint32_t *caps)
-{
-
-	KASSERT(pin != NULL, ("GPIO pin is NULL."));
-	KASSERT(pin->dev != NULL, ("GPIO pin device is NULL."));
-	return (GPIO_PIN_GETCAPS(pin->dev, pin->pin, caps));
-}
-
-int
-gpio_pin_is_active(gpio_pin_t pin, bool *active)
-{
-	int rv;
-	uint32_t tmp;
-
-	KASSERT(pin != NULL, ("GPIO pin is NULL."));
-	KASSERT(pin->dev != NULL, ("GPIO pin device is NULL."));
-	rv = GPIO_PIN_GET(pin->dev, pin->pin, &tmp);
-	if (rv  != 0) {
-		return (rv);
-	}
-
-	if (pin->flags & GPIO_ACTIVE_LOW)
-		*active = tmp == 0;
-	else
-		*active = tmp != 0;
-	return (0);
-}
-
-int
-gpio_pin_set_active(gpio_pin_t pin, bool active)
-{
-	int rv;
-	uint32_t tmp;
-
-	if (pin->flags & GPIO_ACTIVE_LOW)
-		tmp = active ? 0 : 1;
-	else
-		tmp = active ? 1 : 0;
-
-	KASSERT(pin != NULL, ("GPIO pin is NULL."));
-	KASSERT(pin->dev != NULL, ("GPIO pin device is NULL."));
-	rv = GPIO_PIN_SET(pin->dev, pin->pin, tmp);
-	return (rv);
-}
-
-int
-gpio_pin_setflags(gpio_pin_t pin, uint32_t flags)
-{
-	int rv;
-
-	KASSERT(pin != NULL, ("GPIO pin is NULL."));
-	KASSERT(pin->dev != NULL, ("GPIO pin device is NULL."));
-
-	rv = GPIO_PIN_SETFLAGS(pin->dev, pin->pin, flags);
-	return (rv);
-}
-
 /*
  * OFW_GPIOBUS driver.
  */