diff --git a/drivers/infiniband/core/core_priv.h b/drivers/infiniband/core/core_priv.h
index 0c175590cf92..cbdcc81e1df8 100644
--- a/drivers/infiniband/core/core_priv.h
+++ b/drivers/infiniband/core/core_priv.h
@@ -309,4 +309,9 @@ static inline int ib_mad_enforce_security(struct ib_mad_agent_private *map,
 	return 0;
 }
 #endif
+
+struct ib_device *__ib_device_get_by_index(u32 ifindex);
+/* RDMA device netlink */
+void nldev_init(void);
+void nldev_exit(void);
 #endif /* _CORE_PRIV_H */
diff --git a/drivers/infiniband/core/device.c b/drivers/infiniband/core/device.c
index 8828f26250a8..deae8b940994 100644
--- a/drivers/infiniband/core/device.c
+++ b/drivers/infiniband/core/device.c
@@ -134,6 +134,17 @@ static int ib_device_check_mandatory(struct ib_device *device)
 	return 0;
 }
 
+struct ib_device *__ib_device_get_by_index(u32 index)
+{
+	struct ib_device *device;
+
+	list_for_each_entry(device, &device_list, core_list)
+		if (device->index == index)
+			return device;
+
+	return NULL;
+}
+
 static struct ib_device *__ib_device_get_by_name(const char *name)
 {
 	struct ib_device *device;
@@ -145,7 +156,6 @@ static struct ib_device *__ib_device_get_by_name(const char *name)
 	return NULL;
 }
 
-
 static int alloc_name(char *name)
 {
 	unsigned long *inuse;
@@ -394,6 +404,30 @@ static int ib_security_change(struct notifier_block *nb, unsigned long event,
 	return NOTIFY_OK;
 }
 
+/**
+ *	__dev_new_index	-	allocate an device index
+ *
+ *	Returns a suitable unique value for a new device interface
+ *	number.  It assumes that there are less than 2^32-1 ib devices
+ *	will be present in the system.
+ */
+static u32 __dev_new_index(void)
+{
+	/*
+	 * The device index to allow stable naming.
+	 * Similar to struct net -> ifindex.
+	 */
+	static u32 index;
+
+	for (;;) {
+		if (!(++index))
+			index = 1;
+
+		if (!__ib_device_get_by_index(index))
+			return index;
+	}
+}
+
 /**
  * ib_register_device - Register an IB device with IB core
  * @device:Device to register
@@ -492,6 +526,7 @@ int ib_register_device(struct ib_device *device,
 		if (client->add && !add_client_context(device, client))
 			client->add(device);
 
+	device->index = __dev_new_index();
 	down_write(&lists_rwsem);
 	list_add_tail(&device->core_list, &device_list);
 	up_write(&lists_rwsem);
diff --git a/include/rdma/ib_verbs.h b/include/rdma/ib_verbs.h
index 1082b4c81b2c..3391df5fdc9c 100644
--- a/include/rdma/ib_verbs.h
+++ b/include/rdma/ib_verbs.h
@@ -2298,6 +2298,8 @@ struct ib_device {
 	struct rdmacg_device         cg_device;
 #endif
 
+	u32                          index;
+
 	/**
 	 * The following mandatory functions are used only at device
 	 * registration.  Keep functions such as these at the end of this