diff --git a/include/linux/debugobjects.h b/include/linux/debugobjects.h
index 8c243aaa86a7..597692f1fc8d 100644
--- a/include/linux/debugobjects.h
+++ b/include/linux/debugobjects.h
@@ -20,12 +20,14 @@ struct debug_obj_descr;
  * struct debug_obj - representaion of an tracked object
  * @node:	hlist node to link the object into the tracker list
  * @state:	tracked object state
+ * @astate:	current active state
  * @object:	pointer to the real object
  * @descr:	pointer to an object type specific debug description structure
  */
 struct debug_obj {
 	struct hlist_node	node;
 	enum debug_obj_state	state;
+	unsigned int		astate;
 	void			*object;
 	struct debug_obj_descr	*descr;
 };
@@ -60,6 +62,15 @@ extern void debug_object_deactivate(void *addr, struct debug_obj_descr *descr);
 extern void debug_object_destroy   (void *addr, struct debug_obj_descr *descr);
 extern void debug_object_free      (void *addr, struct debug_obj_descr *descr);
 
+/*
+ * Active state:
+ * - Set at 0 upon initialization.
+ * - Must return to 0 before deactivation.
+ */
+extern void
+debug_object_active_state(void *addr, struct debug_obj_descr *descr,
+			  unsigned int expect, unsigned int next);
+
 extern void debug_objects_early_init(void);
 extern void debug_objects_mem_init(void);
 #else
diff --git a/lib/debugobjects.c b/lib/debugobjects.c
index b862b30369ff..076464fd2072 100644
--- a/lib/debugobjects.c
+++ b/lib/debugobjects.c
@@ -141,6 +141,7 @@ alloc_object(void *addr, struct debug_bucket *b, struct debug_obj_descr *descr)
 		obj->object = addr;
 		obj->descr  = descr;
 		obj->state  = ODEBUG_STATE_NONE;
+		obj->astate = 0;
 		hlist_del(&obj->node);
 
 		hlist_add_head(&obj->node, &b->list);
@@ -252,8 +253,10 @@ static void debug_print_object(struct debug_obj *obj, char *msg)
 
 	if (limit < 5 && obj->descr != descr_test) {
 		limit++;
-		WARN(1, KERN_ERR "ODEBUG: %s %s object type: %s\n", msg,
-		       obj_states[obj->state], obj->descr->name);
+		WARN(1, KERN_ERR "ODEBUG: %s %s (active state %u) "
+				 "object type: %s\n",
+			msg, obj_states[obj->state], obj->astate,
+			obj->descr->name);
 	}
 	debug_objects_warnings++;
 }
@@ -447,7 +450,10 @@ void debug_object_deactivate(void *addr, struct debug_obj_descr *descr)
 		case ODEBUG_STATE_INIT:
 		case ODEBUG_STATE_INACTIVE:
 		case ODEBUG_STATE_ACTIVE:
-			obj->state = ODEBUG_STATE_INACTIVE;
+			if (!obj->astate)
+				obj->state = ODEBUG_STATE_INACTIVE;
+			else
+				debug_print_object(obj, "deactivate");
 			break;
 
 		case ODEBUG_STATE_DESTROYED:
@@ -553,6 +559,53 @@ out_unlock:
 	raw_spin_unlock_irqrestore(&db->lock, flags);
 }
 
+/**
+ * debug_object_active_state - debug checks object usage state machine
+ * @addr:	address of the object
+ * @descr:	pointer to an object specific debug description structure
+ * @expect:	expected state
+ * @next:	state to move to if expected state is found
+ */
+void
+debug_object_active_state(void *addr, struct debug_obj_descr *descr,
+			  unsigned int expect, unsigned int next)
+{
+	struct debug_bucket *db;
+	struct debug_obj *obj;
+	unsigned long flags;
+
+	if (!debug_objects_enabled)
+		return;
+
+	db = get_bucket((unsigned long) addr);
+
+	raw_spin_lock_irqsave(&db->lock, flags);
+
+	obj = lookup_object(addr, db);
+	if (obj) {
+		switch (obj->state) {
+		case ODEBUG_STATE_ACTIVE:
+			if (obj->astate == expect)
+				obj->astate = next;
+			else
+				debug_print_object(obj, "active_state");
+			break;
+
+		default:
+			debug_print_object(obj, "active_state");
+			break;
+		}
+	} else {
+		struct debug_obj o = { .object = addr,
+				       .state = ODEBUG_STATE_NOTAVAILABLE,
+				       .descr = descr };
+
+		debug_print_object(&o, "active_state");
+	}
+
+	raw_spin_unlock_irqrestore(&db->lock, flags);
+}
+
 #ifdef CONFIG_DEBUG_OBJECTS_FREE
 static void __debug_check_no_obj_freed(const void *address, unsigned long size)
 {