diff --git a/drivers/char/sysrq.c b/drivers/char/sysrq.c
index c556ed9db13d..8e0dd254eb11 100644
--- a/drivers/char/sysrq.c
+++ b/drivers/char/sysrq.c
@@ -46,7 +46,7 @@
 #include <asm/irq_regs.h>
 
 /* Whether we react on sysrq keys or just ignore them */
-static int __read_mostly sysrq_enabled = 1;
+static int __read_mostly sysrq_enabled = SYSRQ_DEFAULT_ENABLE;
 static bool __read_mostly sysrq_always_enabled;
 
 static bool sysrq_on(void)
diff --git a/include/linux/sysrq.h b/include/linux/sysrq.h
index 387fa7d05c98..7faf933cced7 100644
--- a/include/linux/sysrq.h
+++ b/include/linux/sysrq.h
@@ -17,6 +17,9 @@
 #include <linux/errno.h>
 #include <linux/types.h>
 
+/* Enable/disable SYSRQ support by default (0==no, 1==yes). */
+#define SYSRQ_DEFAULT_ENABLE	1
+
 /* Possible values of bitmask for enabling sysrq functions */
 /* 0x0001 is reserved for enable everything */
 #define SYSRQ_ENABLE_LOG	0x0002
diff --git a/kernel/sysctl.c b/kernel/sysctl.c
index c33a1edb799f..3afce4dc9ba5 100644
--- a/kernel/sysctl.c
+++ b/kernel/sysctl.c
@@ -169,7 +169,8 @@ static int proc_taint(struct ctl_table *table, int write,
 #endif
 
 #ifdef CONFIG_MAGIC_SYSRQ
-static int __sysrq_enabled; /* Note: sysrq code ises it's own private copy */
+/* Note: sysrq code uses it's own private copy */
+static int __sysrq_enabled = SYSRQ_DEFAULT_ENABLE;
 
 static int sysrq_sysctl_handler(ctl_table *table, int write,
 				void __user *buffer, size_t *lenp,