diff --git a/include/linux/kvm_host.h b/include/linux/kvm_host.h
index 831d963451d8..722692e2f745 100644
--- a/include/linux/kvm_host.h
+++ b/include/linux/kvm_host.h
@@ -1240,6 +1240,15 @@ struct kvm_device_ops {
 	 */
 	void (*destroy)(struct kvm_device *dev);
 
+	/*
+	 * Release is an alternative method to free the device. It is
+	 * called when the device file descriptor is closed. Once
+	 * release is called, the destroy method will not be called
+	 * anymore as the device is removed from the device list of
+	 * the VM. kvm->lock is held.
+	 */
+	void (*release)(struct kvm_device *dev);
+
 	int (*set_attr)(struct kvm_device *dev, struct kvm_device_attr *attr);
 	int (*get_attr)(struct kvm_device *dev, struct kvm_device_attr *attr);
 	int (*has_attr)(struct kvm_device *dev, struct kvm_device_attr *attr);
diff --git a/virt/kvm/kvm_main.c b/virt/kvm/kvm_main.c
index ea2018ae1cd7..ea2619d5ca98 100644
--- a/virt/kvm/kvm_main.c
+++ b/virt/kvm/kvm_main.c
@@ -2938,6 +2938,19 @@ static int kvm_device_release(struct inode *inode, struct file *filp)
 	struct kvm_device *dev = filp->private_data;
 	struct kvm *kvm = dev->kvm;
 
+	if (!dev)
+		return -ENODEV;
+
+	if (dev->kvm != kvm)
+		return -EPERM;
+
+	if (dev->ops->release) {
+		mutex_lock(&kvm->lock);
+		list_del(&dev->vm_node);
+		dev->ops->release(dev);
+		mutex_unlock(&kvm->lock);
+	}
+
 	kvm_put_kvm(kvm);
 	return 0;
 }