diff --git a/include/linux/iio/iio.h b/include/linux/iio/iio.h
index 56161e02f002..5ed03e36178f 100644
--- a/include/linux/iio/iio.h
+++ b/include/linux/iio/iio.h
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@
 #include <linux/device.h>
 #include <linux/cdev.h>
 #include <linux/cleanup.h>
+#include <linux/compiler_types.h>
 #include <linux/slab.h>
 #include <linux/iio/types.h>
 /* IIO TODO LIST */
@@ -662,6 +663,31 @@ int iio_push_event(struct iio_dev *indio_dev, u64 ev_code, s64 timestamp);
 int iio_device_claim_direct_mode(struct iio_dev *indio_dev);
 void iio_device_release_direct_mode(struct iio_dev *indio_dev);
 
+/*
+ * Helper functions that allow claim and release of direct mode
+ * in a fashion that doesn't generate many false positives from sparse.
+ * Note this must remain static inline in the header so that sparse
+ * can see the __acquire() marking. Revisit when sparse supports
+ * __cond_acquires()
+ */
+static inline bool iio_device_claim_direct(struct iio_dev *indio_dev)
+{
+	int ret = iio_device_claim_direct_mode(indio_dev);
+
+	if (ret)
+		return false;
+
+	__acquire(iio_dev);
+
+	return true;
+}
+
+static inline void iio_device_release_direct(struct iio_dev *indio_dev)
+{
+	iio_device_release_direct_mode(indio_dev);
+	__release(indio_dev);
+}
+
 /*
  * This autocleanup logic is normally used via
  * iio_device_claim_direct_scoped().