diff --git a/config/kernel-fmode-t.m4 b/config/kernel-fmode-t.m4
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..cf25d81272
--- /dev/null
+++ b/config/kernel-fmode-t.m4
@@ -0,0 +1,18 @@
+dnl #
+dnl # 2.6.28 API change,
+dnl # check if fmode_t typedef is defined
+dnl #
+AC_DEFUN([ZFS_AC_KERNEL_TYPE_FMODE_T],
+	[AC_MSG_CHECKING([whether kernel defines fmode_t])
+	ZFS_LINUX_TRY_COMPILE([
+		#include <linux/types.h>
+	],[
+		fmode_t *ptr;
+	],[
+		AC_MSG_RESULT([yes])
+		AC_DEFINE(HAVE_FMODE_T, 1,
+		          [kernel defines fmode_t])
+	],[
+		AC_MSG_RESULT([no])
+	])
+])
diff --git a/config/kernel.m4 b/config/kernel.m4
index 6ff4b05e51..ae1b5e5321 100644
--- a/config/kernel.m4
+++ b/config/kernel.m4
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ AC_DEFUN([ZFS_AC_CONFIG_KERNEL], [
 	ZFS_AC_KERNEL
 	ZFS_AC_SPL
 	ZFS_AC_KERNEL_BDEV_BLOCK_DEVICE_OPERATIONS
+	ZFS_AC_KERNEL_TYPE_FMODE_T
 	ZFS_AC_KERNEL_OPEN_BDEV_EXCLUSIVE
 	ZFS_AC_KERNEL_INVALIDATE_BDEV_ARGS
 	ZFS_AC_KERNEL_BDEV_LOGICAL_BLOCK_SIZE