diff --git a/drivers/gpio/gpiolib-cdev.c b/drivers/gpio/gpiolib-cdev.c
index 84125e55de101d6fe277483df14a3b75a7ad25ac..29b671c926219407d222efd017cb65f726ec96e4 100644
--- a/drivers/gpio/gpiolib-cdev.c
+++ b/drivers/gpio/gpiolib-cdev.c
@@ -1121,6 +1121,8 @@ static int edge_detector_update(struct line *line,
 				struct gpio_v2_line_config *lc,
 				unsigned int line_idx, u64 edflags)
 {
+	u64 eflags;
+	int ret;
 	u64 active_edflags = READ_ONCE(line->edflags);
 	unsigned int debounce_period_us =
 			gpio_v2_line_config_debounce_period(lc, line_idx);
@@ -1132,6 +1134,18 @@ static int edge_detector_update(struct line *line,
 	/* sw debounced and still will be...*/
 	if (debounce_period_us && READ_ONCE(line->sw_debounced)) {
 		WRITE_ONCE(line->desc->debounce_period_us, debounce_period_us);
+		/*
+		 * ensure event fifo is initialised if edge detection
+		 * is now enabled.
+		 */
+		eflags = edflags & GPIO_V2_LINE_EDGE_FLAGS;
+		if (eflags && !kfifo_initialized(&line->req->events)) {
+			ret = kfifo_alloc(&line->req->events,
+					  line->req->event_buffer_size,
+					  GFP_KERNEL);
+			if (ret)
+				return ret;
+		}
 		return 0;
 	}