diff --git a/drivers/gpu/drm/Kconfig b/drivers/gpu/drm/Kconfig
index 64828a7db77b..3a061094345b 100644
--- a/drivers/gpu/drm/Kconfig
+++ b/drivers/gpu/drm/Kconfig
@@ -100,7 +100,10 @@ config DRM_I830
 config DRM_I915
 	tristate "i915 driver"
 	depends on AGP_INTEL
+	# we need shmfs for the swappable backing store, and in particular
+	# the shmem_readpage() which depends upon tmpfs
 	select SHMEM
+	select TMPFS
 	select DRM_KMS_HELPER
 	select FB_CFB_FILLRECT
 	select FB_CFB_COPYAREA