diff --git a/arch/x86/mm/init.c b/arch/x86/mm/init.c
index 22af912d66d2..889e7619a091 100644
--- a/arch/x86/mm/init.c
+++ b/arch/x86/mm/init.c
@@ -643,21 +643,40 @@ void __init init_mem_mapping(void)
  * devmem_is_allowed() checks to see if /dev/mem access to a certain address
  * is valid. The argument is a physical page number.
  *
- *
- * On x86, access has to be given to the first megabyte of ram because that area
- * contains BIOS code and data regions used by X and dosemu and similar apps.
- * Access has to be given to non-kernel-ram areas as well, these contain the PCI
- * mmio resources as well as potential bios/acpi data regions.
+ * On x86, access has to be given to the first megabyte of RAM because that
+ * area traditionally contains BIOS code and data regions used by X, dosemu,
+ * and similar apps. Since they map the entire memory range, the whole range
+ * must be allowed (for mapping), but any areas that would otherwise be
+ * disallowed are flagged as being "zero filled" instead of rejected.
+ * Access has to be given to non-kernel-ram areas as well, these contain the
+ * PCI mmio resources as well as potential bios/acpi data regions.
  */
 int devmem_is_allowed(unsigned long pagenr)
 {
-	if (pagenr < 256)
-		return 1;
-	if (iomem_is_exclusive(pagenr << PAGE_SHIFT))
+	if (page_is_ram(pagenr)) {
+		/*
+		 * For disallowed memory regions in the low 1MB range,
+		 * request that the page be shown as all zeros.
+		 */
+		if (pagenr < 256)
+			return 2;
+
 		return 0;
-	if (!page_is_ram(pagenr))
-		return 1;
-	return 0;
+	}
+
+	/*
+	 * This must follow RAM test, since System RAM is considered a
+	 * restricted resource under CONFIG_STRICT_IOMEM.
+	 */
+	if (iomem_is_exclusive(pagenr << PAGE_SHIFT)) {
+		/* Low 1MB bypasses iomem restrictions. */
+		if (pagenr < 256)
+			return 1;
+
+		return 0;
+	}
+
+	return 1;
 }
 
 void free_init_pages(char *what, unsigned long begin, unsigned long end)
diff --git a/drivers/char/mem.c b/drivers/char/mem.c
index 6d9cc2d39d22..7e4a9d1296bb 100644
--- a/drivers/char/mem.c
+++ b/drivers/char/mem.c
@@ -60,6 +60,10 @@ static inline int valid_mmap_phys_addr_range(unsigned long pfn, size_t size)
 #endif
 
 #ifdef CONFIG_STRICT_DEVMEM
+static inline int page_is_allowed(unsigned long pfn)
+{
+	return devmem_is_allowed(pfn);
+}
 static inline int range_is_allowed(unsigned long pfn, unsigned long size)
 {
 	u64 from = ((u64)pfn) << PAGE_SHIFT;
@@ -75,6 +79,10 @@ static inline int range_is_allowed(unsigned long pfn, unsigned long size)
 	return 1;
 }
 #else
+static inline int page_is_allowed(unsigned long pfn)
+{
+	return 1;
+}
 static inline int range_is_allowed(unsigned long pfn, unsigned long size)
 {
 	return 1;
@@ -122,23 +130,31 @@ static ssize_t read_mem(struct file *file, char __user *buf,
 
 	while (count > 0) {
 		unsigned long remaining;
+		int allowed;
 
 		sz = size_inside_page(p, count);
 
-		if (!range_is_allowed(p >> PAGE_SHIFT, count))
+		allowed = page_is_allowed(p >> PAGE_SHIFT);
+		if (!allowed)
 			return -EPERM;
+		if (allowed == 2) {
+			/* Show zeros for restricted memory. */
+			remaining = clear_user(buf, sz);
+		} else {
+			/*
+			 * On ia64 if a page has been mapped somewhere as
+			 * uncached, then it must also be accessed uncached
+			 * by the kernel or data corruption may occur.
+			 */
+			ptr = xlate_dev_mem_ptr(p);
+			if (!ptr)
+				return -EFAULT;
 
-		/*
-		 * On ia64 if a page has been mapped somewhere as uncached, then
-		 * it must also be accessed uncached by the kernel or data
-		 * corruption may occur.
-		 */
-		ptr = xlate_dev_mem_ptr(p);
-		if (!ptr)
-			return -EFAULT;
+			remaining = copy_to_user(buf, ptr, sz);
+
+			unxlate_dev_mem_ptr(p, ptr);
+		}
 
-		remaining = copy_to_user(buf, ptr, sz);
-		unxlate_dev_mem_ptr(p, ptr);
 		if (remaining)
 			return -EFAULT;
 
@@ -181,30 +197,36 @@ static ssize_t write_mem(struct file *file, const char __user *buf,
 #endif
 
 	while (count > 0) {
+		int allowed;
+
 		sz = size_inside_page(p, count);
 
-		if (!range_is_allowed(p >> PAGE_SHIFT, sz))
+		allowed = page_is_allowed(p >> PAGE_SHIFT);
+		if (!allowed)
 			return -EPERM;
 
-		/*
-		 * On ia64 if a page has been mapped somewhere as uncached, then
-		 * it must also be accessed uncached by the kernel or data
-		 * corruption may occur.
-		 */
-		ptr = xlate_dev_mem_ptr(p);
-		if (!ptr) {
-			if (written)
-				break;
-			return -EFAULT;
-		}
+		/* Skip actual writing when a page is marked as restricted. */
+		if (allowed == 1) {
+			/*
+			 * On ia64 if a page has been mapped somewhere as
+			 * uncached, then it must also be accessed uncached
+			 * by the kernel or data corruption may occur.
+			 */
+			ptr = xlate_dev_mem_ptr(p);
+			if (!ptr) {
+				if (written)
+					break;
+				return -EFAULT;
+			}
 
-		copied = copy_from_user(ptr, buf, sz);
-		unxlate_dev_mem_ptr(p, ptr);
-		if (copied) {
-			written += sz - copied;
-			if (written)
-				break;
-			return -EFAULT;
+			copied = copy_from_user(ptr, buf, sz);
+			unxlate_dev_mem_ptr(p, ptr);
+			if (copied) {
+				written += sz - copied;
+				if (written)
+					break;
+				return -EFAULT;
+			}
 		}
 
 		buf += sz;