diff --git a/drivers/media/Kconfig b/drivers/media/Kconfig
index 8add62a18293..102eb35fcf3f 100644
--- a/drivers/media/Kconfig
+++ b/drivers/media/Kconfig
@@ -110,6 +110,19 @@ config MEDIA_CONTROLLER_DVB
 
 	  This is currently experimental.
 
+config MEDIA_CONTROLLER_REQUEST_API
+	bool "Enable Media controller Request API (EXPERIMENTAL)"
+	depends on MEDIA_CONTROLLER && STAGING_MEDIA
+	default n
+	---help---
+	  DO NOT ENABLE THIS OPTION UNLESS YOU KNOW WHAT YOU'RE DOING.
+
+	  This option enables the Request API for the Media controller and V4L2
+	  interfaces. It is currently needed by a few stateless codec drivers.
+
+	  There is currently no intention to provide API or ABI stability for
+	  this new API as of yet.
+
 #
 # Video4Linux support
 #	Only enables if one of the V4L2 types (ATV, webcam, radio) is selected
diff --git a/drivers/media/common/videobuf2/videobuf2-v4l2.c b/drivers/media/common/videobuf2/videobuf2-v4l2.c
index ce28bc052c3c..1d35aeabfd85 100644
--- a/drivers/media/common/videobuf2/videobuf2-v4l2.c
+++ b/drivers/media/common/videobuf2/videobuf2-v4l2.c
@@ -634,8 +634,10 @@ static void fill_buf_caps(struct vb2_queue *q, u32 *caps)
 		*caps |= V4L2_BUF_CAP_SUPPORTS_USERPTR;
 	if (q->io_modes & VB2_DMABUF)
 		*caps |= V4L2_BUF_CAP_SUPPORTS_DMABUF;
+#ifdef CONFIG_MEDIA_CONTROLLER_REQUEST_API
 	if (q->supports_requests)
 		*caps |= V4L2_BUF_CAP_SUPPORTS_REQUESTS;
+#endif
 }
 
 int vb2_reqbufs(struct vb2_queue *q, struct v4l2_requestbuffers *req)
diff --git a/drivers/media/media-device.c b/drivers/media/media-device.c
index bed24372e61f..b8ec88612df7 100644
--- a/drivers/media/media-device.c
+++ b/drivers/media/media-device.c
@@ -381,10 +381,14 @@ static long media_device_get_topology(struct media_device *mdev, void *arg)
 static long media_device_request_alloc(struct media_device *mdev,
 				       int *alloc_fd)
 {
+#ifdef CONFIG_MEDIA_CONTROLLER_REQUEST_API
 	if (!mdev->ops || !mdev->ops->req_validate || !mdev->ops->req_queue)
 		return -ENOTTY;
 
 	return media_request_alloc(mdev, alloc_fd);
+#else
+	return -ENOTTY;
+#endif
 }
 
 static long copy_arg_from_user(void *karg, void __user *uarg, unsigned int cmd)
diff --git a/drivers/staging/media/sunxi/cedrus/Kconfig b/drivers/staging/media/sunxi/cedrus/Kconfig
index a7a34e89c42d..3252efa422f9 100644
--- a/drivers/staging/media/sunxi/cedrus/Kconfig
+++ b/drivers/staging/media/sunxi/cedrus/Kconfig
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ config VIDEO_SUNXI_CEDRUS
 	depends on VIDEO_DEV && VIDEO_V4L2 && MEDIA_CONTROLLER
 	depends on HAS_DMA
 	depends on OF
+	depends on MEDIA_CONTROLLER_REQUEST_API
 	select SUNXI_SRAM
 	select VIDEOBUF2_DMA_CONTIG
 	select V4L2_MEM2MEM_DEV