diff --git a/fs/proc/generic.c b/fs/proc/generic.c
index 8bb81e58c9d8..c6ae076e1fa0 100644
--- a/fs/proc/generic.c
+++ b/fs/proc/generic.c
@@ -841,3 +841,13 @@ ssize_t proc_simple_write(struct file *f, const char __user *ubuf, size_t size,
 	kfree(buf);
 	return ret == 0 ? size : ret;
 }
+
+/*
+ * Not exported to modules:
+ * modules' /proc files aren't permanent because modules aren't permanent.
+ */
+void impl_proc_make_permanent(struct proc_dir_entry *pde)
+{
+	if (pde)
+		pde_make_permanent(pde);
+}
diff --git a/fs/proc/internal.h b/fs/proc/internal.h
index 64dc44832808..1edbabbdbc5d 100644
--- a/fs/proc/internal.h
+++ b/fs/proc/internal.h
@@ -79,8 +79,11 @@ static inline bool pde_is_permanent(const struct proc_dir_entry *pde)
 	return pde->flags & PROC_ENTRY_PERMANENT;
 }
 
+/* This is for builtin code, not even for modules which are compiled in. */
 static inline void pde_make_permanent(struct proc_dir_entry *pde)
 {
+	/* Ensure magic flag does something. */
+	static_assert(PROC_ENTRY_PERMANENT != 0);
 	pde->flags |= PROC_ENTRY_PERMANENT;
 }
 
diff --git a/include/linux/proc_fs.h b/include/linux/proc_fs.h
index 19d1c5e5f335..d2860c18dca9 100644
--- a/include/linux/proc_fs.h
+++ b/include/linux/proc_fs.h
@@ -248,4 +248,16 @@ static inline struct pid_namespace *proc_pid_ns(struct super_block *sb)
 
 bool proc_ns_file(const struct file *file);
 
+#if defined CONFIG_PROC_FS && !defined MODULE
+void impl_proc_make_permanent(struct proc_dir_entry *pde);
+#endif
+
+static inline void proc_make_permanent(struct proc_dir_entry *pde)
+{
+	/* Don't give matches to modules. */
+#if defined CONFIG_PROC_FS && !defined MODULE
+	impl_proc_make_permanent(pde);
+#endif
+}
+
 #endif /* _LINUX_PROC_FS_H */