diff --git a/Documentation/media-framework.txt b/Documentation/media-framework.txt
index ab17f33..78ae020 100644
--- a/Documentation/media-framework.txt
+++ b/Documentation/media-framework.txt
@@ -258,3 +258,16 @@
 
 Graph traversal can be interrupted at any moment. No cleanup function call is
 required and the graph structure can be freed normally.
+
+
+Use count and power handling
+----------------------------
+
+Due to the wide differences between drivers regarding power management needs,
+the media controller does not implement power management. However, the
+media_entity structure includes a use_count field that media drivers can use to
+track the number of users of every entity for power management needs.
+
+The use_count field is owned by media drivers and must not be touched by entity
+drivers. Access to the field must be protected by the media device graph_mutex
+lock.
diff --git a/drivers/media/media-device.c b/drivers/media/media-device.c
index a36509a..d2bc809 100644
--- a/drivers/media/media-device.c
+++ b/drivers/media/media-device.c
@@ -73,6 +73,7 @@
 	mdev->entity_id = 1;
 	INIT_LIST_HEAD(&mdev->entities);
 	spin_lock_init(&mdev->lock);
+	mutex_init(&mdev->graph_mutex);
 
 	/* Register the device node. */
 	mdev->devnode.fops = &media_device_fops;
diff --git a/drivers/media/media-entity.c b/drivers/media/media-entity.c
index 166f2b5..3e7e2d5 100644
--- a/drivers/media/media-entity.c
+++ b/drivers/media/media-entity.c
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@
 #include <linux/module.h>
 #include <linux/slab.h>
 #include <media/media-entity.h>
+#include <media/media-device.h>
 
 /**
  * media_entity_init - Initialize a media entity
@@ -196,6 +197,51 @@
 EXPORT_SYMBOL_GPL(media_entity_graph_walk_next);
 
 /* -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
+ * Module use count
+ */
+
+/*
+ * media_entity_get - Get a reference to the parent module
+ * @entity: The entity
+ *
+ * Get a reference to the parent media device module.
+ *
+ * The function will return immediately if @entity is NULL.
+ *
+ * Return a pointer to the entity on success or NULL on failure.
+ */
+struct media_entity *media_entity_get(struct media_entity *entity)
+{
+	if (entity == NULL)
+		return NULL;
+
+	if (entity->parent->dev &&
+	    !try_module_get(entity->parent->dev->driver->owner))
+		return NULL;
+
+	return entity;
+}
+EXPORT_SYMBOL_GPL(media_entity_get);
+
+/*
+ * media_entity_put - Release the reference to the parent module
+ * @entity: The entity
+ *
+ * Release the reference count acquired by media_entity_get().
+ *
+ * The function will return immediately if @entity is NULL.
+ */
+void media_entity_put(struct media_entity *entity)
+{
+	if (entity == NULL)
+		return;
+
+	if (entity->parent->dev)
+		module_put(entity->parent->dev->driver->owner);
+}
+EXPORT_SYMBOL_GPL(media_entity_put);
+
+/* -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
  * Links management
  */
 
diff --git a/include/media/media-device.h b/include/media/media-device.h
index a8390fe..5d2bff4 100644
--- a/include/media/media-device.h
+++ b/include/media/media-device.h
@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@
 
 #include <linux/device.h>
 #include <linux/list.h>
+#include <linux/mutex.h>
 #include <linux/spinlock.h>
 
 #include <media/media-devnode.h>
@@ -42,6 +43,7 @@
  * @entity_id:	ID of the next entity to be registered
  * @entities:	List of registered entities
  * @lock:	Entities list lock
+ * @graph_mutex: Entities graph operation lock
  *
  * This structure represents an abstract high-level media device. It allows easy
  * access to entities and provides basic media device-level support. The
@@ -69,6 +71,8 @@
 
 	/* Protects the entities list */
 	spinlock_t lock;
+	/* Serializes graph operations. */
+	struct mutex graph_mutex;
 };
 
 /* media_devnode to media_device */
diff --git a/include/media/media-entity.h b/include/media/media-entity.h
index 28f61f6..a9b31d9 100644
--- a/include/media/media-entity.h
+++ b/include/media/media-entity.h
@@ -81,6 +81,12 @@
 	struct media_pad *pads;		/* Pads array (num_pads elements) */
 	struct media_link *links;	/* Links array (max_links elements)*/
 
+	/* Reference counts must never be negative, but are signed integers on
+	 * purpose: a simple WARN_ON(<0) check can be used to detect reference
+	 * count bugs that would make them negative.
+	 */
+	int use_count;			/* Use count for the entity. */
+
 	union {
 		/* Node specifications */
 		struct {
@@ -129,6 +135,9 @@
 int media_entity_create_link(struct media_entity *source, u16 source_pad,
 		struct media_entity *sink, u16 sink_pad, u32 flags);
 
+struct media_entity *media_entity_get(struct media_entity *entity);
+void media_entity_put(struct media_entity *entity);
+
 void media_entity_graph_walk_start(struct media_entity_graph *graph,
 		struct media_entity *entity);
 struct media_entity *