diff --git a/arch/alpha/include/asm/bitsperlong.h b/arch/alpha/include/asm/bitsperlong.h
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..ad57f7868203
--- /dev/null
+++ b/arch/alpha/include/asm/bitsperlong.h
@@ -0,0 +1,8 @@
+#ifndef __ASM_ALPHA_BITSPERLONG_H
+#define __ASM_ALPHA_BITSPERLONG_H
+
+#define __BITS_PER_LONG 64
+
+#include <asm-generic/bitsperlong.h>
+
+#endif /* __ASM_ALPHA_BITSPERLONG_H */
diff --git a/arch/alpha/include/asm/types.h b/arch/alpha/include/asm/types.h
index f072f344497e..bd621ecd1eb3 100644
--- a/arch/alpha/include/asm/types.h
+++ b/arch/alpha/include/asm/types.h
@@ -25,9 +25,6 @@ typedef unsigned int umode_t;
  * These aren't exported outside the kernel to avoid name space clashes
  */
 #ifdef __KERNEL__
-
-#define BITS_PER_LONG 64
-
 #ifndef __ASSEMBLY__
 
 typedef u64 dma_addr_t;
diff --git a/arch/arm/include/asm/bitsperlong.h b/arch/arm/include/asm/bitsperlong.h
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..6dc0bb0c13b2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/arch/arm/include/asm/bitsperlong.h
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+#include <asm-generic/bitsperlong.h>
diff --git a/arch/avr32/include/asm/bitsperlong.h b/arch/avr32/include/asm/bitsperlong.h
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..6dc0bb0c13b2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/arch/avr32/include/asm/bitsperlong.h
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+#include <asm-generic/bitsperlong.h>
diff --git a/arch/blackfin/include/asm/bitsperlong.h b/arch/blackfin/include/asm/bitsperlong.h
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..6dc0bb0c13b2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/arch/blackfin/include/asm/bitsperlong.h
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+#include <asm-generic/bitsperlong.h>
diff --git a/arch/cris/include/asm/bitsperlong.h b/arch/cris/include/asm/bitsperlong.h
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..6dc0bb0c13b2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/arch/cris/include/asm/bitsperlong.h
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+#include <asm-generic/bitsperlong.h>
diff --git a/arch/frv/include/asm/bitsperlong.h b/arch/frv/include/asm/bitsperlong.h
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..6dc0bb0c13b2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/arch/frv/include/asm/bitsperlong.h
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+#include <asm-generic/bitsperlong.h>
diff --git a/arch/h8300/include/asm/bitsperlong.h b/arch/h8300/include/asm/bitsperlong.h
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..6dc0bb0c13b2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/arch/h8300/include/asm/bitsperlong.h
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+#include <asm-generic/bitsperlong.h>
diff --git a/arch/ia64/include/asm/bitsperlong.h b/arch/ia64/include/asm/bitsperlong.h
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..ec4db3c970b7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/arch/ia64/include/asm/bitsperlong.h
@@ -0,0 +1,8 @@
+#ifndef __ASM_IA64_BITSPERLONG_H
+#define __ASM_IA64_BITSPERLONG_H
+
+#define __BITS_PER_LONG 64
+
+#include <asm-generic/bitsperlong.h>
+
+#endif /* __ASM_IA64_BITSPERLONG_H */
diff --git a/arch/ia64/include/asm/types.h b/arch/ia64/include/asm/types.h
index e36b3716e718..fbf1ed3b44ce 100644
--- a/arch/ia64/include/asm/types.h
+++ b/arch/ia64/include/asm/types.h
@@ -19,10 +19,6 @@
 # define __IA64_UL(x)		(x)
 # define __IA64_UL_CONST(x)	x
 
-# ifdef __KERNEL__
-#  define BITS_PER_LONG 64
-# endif
-
 #else
 # define __IA64_UL(x)		((unsigned long)(x))
 # define __IA64_UL_CONST(x)	x##UL
@@ -34,10 +30,7 @@ typedef unsigned int umode_t;
  */
 # ifdef __KERNEL__
 
-#define BITS_PER_LONG 64
-
 /* DMA addresses are 64-bits wide, in general.  */
-
 typedef u64 dma_addr_t;
 
 # endif /* __KERNEL__ */
diff --git a/arch/m32r/include/asm/bitsperlong.h b/arch/m32r/include/asm/bitsperlong.h
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..6dc0bb0c13b2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/arch/m32r/include/asm/bitsperlong.h
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+#include <asm-generic/bitsperlong.h>
diff --git a/arch/m68k/include/asm/bitsperlong.h b/arch/m68k/include/asm/bitsperlong.h
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..6dc0bb0c13b2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/arch/m68k/include/asm/bitsperlong.h
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+#include <asm-generic/bitsperlong.h>
diff --git a/arch/microblaze/include/asm/bitsperlong.h b/arch/microblaze/include/asm/bitsperlong.h
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..6dc0bb0c13b2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/arch/microblaze/include/asm/bitsperlong.h
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+#include <asm-generic/bitsperlong.h>
diff --git a/arch/mips/include/asm/bitsperlong.h b/arch/mips/include/asm/bitsperlong.h
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..3e4c10a8e787
--- /dev/null
+++ b/arch/mips/include/asm/bitsperlong.h
@@ -0,0 +1,8 @@
+#ifndef __ASM_MIPS_BITSPERLONG_H
+#define __ASM_MIPS_BITSPERLONG_H
+
+#define __BITS_PER_LONG _MIPS_SZLONG
+
+#include <asm-generic/bitsperlong.h>
+
+#endif /* __ASM_MIPS_BITSPERLONG_H */
diff --git a/arch/mips/include/asm/types.h b/arch/mips/include/asm/types.h
index 7956e69a3bd5..544a2854598f 100644
--- a/arch/mips/include/asm/types.h
+++ b/arch/mips/include/asm/types.h
@@ -31,9 +31,6 @@ typedef unsigned short umode_t;
  * These aren't exported outside the kernel to avoid name space clashes
  */
 #ifdef __KERNEL__
-
-#define BITS_PER_LONG _MIPS_SZLONG
-
 #ifndef __ASSEMBLY__
 
 #if (defined(CONFIG_HIGHMEM) && defined(CONFIG_64BIT_PHYS_ADDR)) \
diff --git a/arch/mn10300/include/asm/bitsperlong.h b/arch/mn10300/include/asm/bitsperlong.h
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..6dc0bb0c13b2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/arch/mn10300/include/asm/bitsperlong.h
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+#include <asm-generic/bitsperlong.h>
diff --git a/arch/parisc/include/asm/bitsperlong.h b/arch/parisc/include/asm/bitsperlong.h
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..75196b415d3f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/arch/parisc/include/asm/bitsperlong.h
@@ -0,0 +1,20 @@
+#ifndef __ASM_PARISC_BITSPERLONG_H
+#define __ASM_PARISC_BITSPERLONG_H
+
+/*
+ * using CONFIG_* outside of __KERNEL__ is wrong,
+ * __LP64__ was also removed from headers, so what
+ * is the right approach on parisc?
+ *	-arnd
+ */
+#if (defined(__KERNEL__) && defined(CONFIG_64BIT)) || defined (__LP64__)
+#define __BITS_PER_LONG 64
+#define SHIFT_PER_LONG 6
+#else
+#define __BITS_PER_LONG 32
+#define SHIFT_PER_LONG 5
+#endif
+
+#include <asm-generic/bitsperlong.h>
+
+#endif /* __ASM_PARISC_BITSPERLONG_H */
diff --git a/arch/parisc/include/asm/types.h b/arch/parisc/include/asm/types.h
index 7f5a39bfb4ce..20135cc80039 100644
--- a/arch/parisc/include/asm/types.h
+++ b/arch/parisc/include/asm/types.h
@@ -14,14 +14,6 @@ typedef unsigned short umode_t;
  */
 #ifdef __KERNEL__
 
-#ifdef CONFIG_64BIT
-#define BITS_PER_LONG 64
-#define SHIFT_PER_LONG 6
-#else
-#define BITS_PER_LONG 32
-#define SHIFT_PER_LONG 5
-#endif
-
 #ifndef __ASSEMBLY__
 
 /* Dma addresses are 32-bits wide.  */
diff --git a/arch/powerpc/include/asm/bitsperlong.h b/arch/powerpc/include/asm/bitsperlong.h
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..5f1659032c40
--- /dev/null
+++ b/arch/powerpc/include/asm/bitsperlong.h
@@ -0,0 +1,12 @@
+#ifndef __ASM_POWERPC_BITSPERLONG_H
+#define __ASM_POWERPC_BITSPERLONG_H
+
+#if defined(__powerpc64__)
+# define __BITS_PER_LONG 64
+#else
+# define __BITS_PER_LONG 32
+#endif
+
+#include <asm-generic/bitsperlong.h>
+
+#endif /* __ASM_POWERPC_BITSPERLONG_H */
diff --git a/arch/powerpc/include/asm/types.h b/arch/powerpc/include/asm/types.h
index 7ce27a52bb34..a5aea0ca34e9 100644
--- a/arch/powerpc/include/asm/types.h
+++ b/arch/powerpc/include/asm/types.h
@@ -40,15 +40,6 @@ typedef struct {
 #endif /* __ASSEMBLY__ */
 
 #ifdef __KERNEL__
-/*
- * These aren't exported outside the kernel to avoid name space clashes
- */
-#ifdef __powerpc64__
-#define BITS_PER_LONG 64
-#else
-#define BITS_PER_LONG 32
-#endif
-
 #ifndef __ASSEMBLY__
 
 typedef __vector128 vector128;
diff --git a/arch/s390/include/asm/bitsperlong.h b/arch/s390/include/asm/bitsperlong.h
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..6b235aea9c66
--- /dev/null
+++ b/arch/s390/include/asm/bitsperlong.h
@@ -0,0 +1,13 @@
+#ifndef __ASM_S390_BITSPERLONG_H
+#define __ASM_S390_BITSPERLONG_H
+
+#ifndef __s390x__
+#define __BITS_PER_LONG 32
+#else
+#define __BITS_PER_LONG 64
+#endif
+
+#include <asm-generic/bitsperlong.h>
+
+#endif /* __ASM_S390_BITSPERLONG_H */
+
diff --git a/arch/s390/include/asm/types.h b/arch/s390/include/asm/types.h
index 3dc3fc228812..04d6b95a89c6 100644
--- a/arch/s390/include/asm/types.h
+++ b/arch/s390/include/asm/types.h
@@ -28,12 +28,6 @@ typedef __signed__ long saddr_t;
  */
 #ifdef __KERNEL__
 
-#ifndef __s390x__
-#define BITS_PER_LONG 32
-#else
-#define BITS_PER_LONG 64
-#endif
-
 #ifndef __ASSEMBLY__
 
 typedef u64 dma64_addr_t;
diff --git a/arch/sh/include/asm/bitsperlong.h b/arch/sh/include/asm/bitsperlong.h
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..6dc0bb0c13b2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/arch/sh/include/asm/bitsperlong.h
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+#include <asm-generic/bitsperlong.h>
diff --git a/arch/sparc/include/asm/bitsperlong.h b/arch/sparc/include/asm/bitsperlong.h
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..40dcaa3aaa56
--- /dev/null
+++ b/arch/sparc/include/asm/bitsperlong.h
@@ -0,0 +1,13 @@
+#ifndef __ASM_ALPHA_BITSPERLONG_H
+#define __ASM_ALPHA_BITSPERLONG_H
+
+#if defined(__sparc__) && defined(__arch64__)
+#define __BITS_PER_LONG 64
+#else
+#define __BITS_PER_LONG 32
+#endif
+
+#include <asm-generic/bitsperlong.h>
+
+#endif /* __ASM_ALPHA_BITSPERLONG_H */
+
diff --git a/arch/sparc/include/asm/types.h b/arch/sparc/include/asm/types.h
index 2237118825d0..de671d73baed 100644
--- a/arch/sparc/include/asm/types.h
+++ b/arch/sparc/include/asm/types.h
@@ -21,8 +21,6 @@ typedef unsigned short umode_t;
 
 #ifdef __KERNEL__
 
-#define BITS_PER_LONG 64
-
 #ifndef __ASSEMBLY__
 
 /* Dma addresses come in generic and 64-bit flavours.  */
@@ -46,8 +44,6 @@ typedef unsigned short umode_t;
 
 #ifdef __KERNEL__
 
-#define BITS_PER_LONG 32
-
 #ifndef __ASSEMBLY__
 
 typedef u32 dma_addr_t;
diff --git a/arch/x86/include/asm/bitsperlong.h b/arch/x86/include/asm/bitsperlong.h
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..b0ae1c4dc791
--- /dev/null
+++ b/arch/x86/include/asm/bitsperlong.h
@@ -0,0 +1,13 @@
+#ifndef __ASM_X86_BITSPERLONG_H
+#define __ASM_X86_BITSPERLONG_H
+
+#ifdef __x86_64__
+# define __BITS_PER_LONG 64
+#else
+# define __BITS_PER_LONG 32
+#endif
+
+#include <asm-generic/bitsperlong.h>
+
+#endif /* __ASM_X86_BITSPERLONG_H */
+
diff --git a/arch/x86/include/asm/types.h b/arch/x86/include/asm/types.h
index e6f736320077..09b97745772f 100644
--- a/arch/x86/include/asm/types.h
+++ b/arch/x86/include/asm/types.h
@@ -14,12 +14,6 @@ typedef unsigned short umode_t;
  */
 #ifdef __KERNEL__
 
-#ifdef CONFIG_X86_32
-# define BITS_PER_LONG 32
-#else
-# define BITS_PER_LONG 64
-#endif
-
 #ifndef __ASSEMBLY__
 
 typedef u64 dma64_addr_t;
diff --git a/arch/xtensa/include/asm/bitsperlong.h b/arch/xtensa/include/asm/bitsperlong.h
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..6dc0bb0c13b2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/arch/xtensa/include/asm/bitsperlong.h
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+#include <asm-generic/bitsperlong.h>
diff --git a/include/asm-generic/Kbuild b/include/asm-generic/Kbuild
index 460b08d51e2e..cbb437875f5c 100644
--- a/include/asm-generic/Kbuild
+++ b/include/asm-generic/Kbuild
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+header-y += bitsperlong.h
 header-y += errno-base.h
 header-y += errno.h
 header-y += fcntl.h
diff --git a/include/asm-generic/Kbuild.asm b/include/asm-generic/Kbuild.asm
index 70d185534b9d..290910e4ede4 100644
--- a/include/asm-generic/Kbuild.asm
+++ b/include/asm-generic/Kbuild.asm
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ unifdef-y += a.out.h
 endif
 unifdef-y += auxvec.h
 unifdef-y += byteorder.h
+unifdef-y += bitsperlong.h
 unifdef-y += errno.h
 unifdef-y += fcntl.h
 unifdef-y += ioctl.h
diff --git a/include/asm-generic/bitsperlong.h b/include/asm-generic/bitsperlong.h
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..4ae54e07de83
--- /dev/null
+++ b/include/asm-generic/bitsperlong.h
@@ -0,0 +1,32 @@
+#ifndef __ASM_GENERIC_BITS_PER_LONG
+#define __ASM_GENERIC_BITS_PER_LONG
+
+/*
+ * There seems to be no way of detecting this automatically from user
+ * space, so 64 bit architectures should override this in their
+ * bitsperlong.h. In particular, an architecture that supports
+ * both 32 and 64 bit user space must not rely on CONFIG_64BIT
+ * to decide it, but rather check a compiler provided macro.
+ */
+#ifndef __BITS_PER_LONG
+#define __BITS_PER_LONG 32
+#endif
+
+#ifdef __KERNEL__
+
+#ifdef CONFIG_64BIT
+#define BITS_PER_LONG 64
+#else
+#define BITS_PER_LONG 32
+#endif /* CONFIG_64BIT */
+
+/*
+ * FIXME: The check currently breaks x86-64 build, so it's
+ * temporarily disabled. Please fix x86-64 and reenable
+ */
+#if 0 && BITS_PER_LONG != __BITS_PER_LONG
+#error Inconsistent word size. Check asm/bitsperlong.h
+#endif
+
+#endif /* __KERNEL__ */
+#endif /* __ASM_GENERIC_BITS_PER_LONG */
diff --git a/include/asm-generic/int-l64.h b/include/asm-generic/int-l64.h
index 2af9b75d77db..1ca3efc976cc 100644
--- a/include/asm-generic/int-l64.h
+++ b/include/asm-generic/int-l64.h
@@ -8,6 +8,8 @@
 #ifndef _ASM_GENERIC_INT_L64_H
 #define _ASM_GENERIC_INT_L64_H
 
+#include <asm/bitsperlong.h>
+
 #ifndef __ASSEMBLY__
 /*
  * __xx is ok: it doesn't pollute the POSIX namespace. Use these in the
diff --git a/include/asm-generic/int-ll64.h b/include/asm-generic/int-ll64.h
index f9bc9ac29b36..f394147c0739 100644
--- a/include/asm-generic/int-ll64.h
+++ b/include/asm-generic/int-ll64.h
@@ -8,6 +8,8 @@
 #ifndef _ASM_GENERIC_INT_LL64_H
 #define _ASM_GENERIC_INT_LL64_H
 
+#include <asm/bitsperlong.h>
+
 #ifndef __ASSEMBLY__
 /*
  * __xx is ok: it doesn't pollute the POSIX namespace. Use these in the