diff --git a/include/linux/spi/spi.h b/include/linux/spi/spi.h
index 68bb1c501d0d..2cc43fa380cb 100644
--- a/include/linux/spi/spi.h
+++ b/include/linux/spi/spi.h
@@ -204,6 +204,7 @@ static inline void spi_unregister_driver(struct spi_driver *sdrv)
  *	SPI slaves, and are numbered from zero to num_chipselects.
  *	each slave has a chipselect signal, but it's common that not
  *	every chipselect is connected to a slave.
+ * @dma_alignment: SPI controller constraint on DMA buffers alignment.
  * @setup: updates the device mode and clocking records used by a
  *	device's SPI controller; protocol code may call this.  This
  *	must fail if an unrecognized or unsupported mode is requested.
@@ -239,6 +240,11 @@ struct spi_master {
 	 */
 	u16			num_chipselect;
 
+	/* some SPI controllers pose alignment requirements on DMAable
+	 * buffers; let protocol drivers know about these requirements.
+	 */
+	u16			dma_alignment;
+
 	/* setup mode and clock, etc (spi driver may call many times) */
 	int			(*setup)(struct spi_device *spi);