diff --git a/Config.in b/Config.in
index 0f131f0623..7c98044530 100644
--- a/Config.in
+++ b/Config.in
@@ -124,6 +124,12 @@ config KERNEL_KALLSYMS
 	default n
 	help
 		This will give you more information in stack traces from kernel oopses
+config KERNEL_PROFILING
+	bool "Compile the kernel with profiling enabled"
+	default n
+	help
+		Enable the extended profiling support mechanisms used by profilers such
+		as OProfile.
 
 endmenu
 
diff --git a/include/kernel-defaults.mk b/include/kernel-defaults.mk
index 4aa5c0ef18..e3897a64cc 100644
--- a/include/kernel-defaults.mk
+++ b/include/kernel-defaults.mk
@@ -87,6 +87,7 @@ endef
 define Kernel/Configure/Default
 	$(LINUX_CONFCMD) > $(LINUX_DIR)/.config.target
 	echo "$(if $(CONFIG_KERNEL_KALLSYMS),CONFIG_KALLSYMS=y,# CONFIG_KALLSYMS is not set)" >> $(LINUX_DIR)/.config.target
+	echo "$(if $(CONFIG_KERNEL_PROFILING),CONFIG_PROFILING=y,# CONFIG_PROFILING is not set)" >> $(LINUX_DIR)/.config.target
 	echo "# CONFIG_KALLSYMS_EXTRA_PASS is not set" >> $(LINUX_DIR)/.config.target
 	echo "# CONFIG_KPROBES is not set" >> $(LINUX_DIR)/.config.target
 	$(SCRIPT_DIR)/metadata.pl kconfig $(TMP_DIR)/.packageinfo $(TOPDIR)/.config > $(LINUX_DIR)/.config.override