diff --git a/drivers/media/rc/lirc_dev.c b/drivers/media/rc/lirc_dev.c
index add309fb9606..773cc1ea5eae 100644
--- a/drivers/media/rc/lirc_dev.c
+++ b/drivers/media/rc/lirc_dev.c
@@ -47,7 +47,6 @@ struct irctl {
 	struct mutex irctl_lock;
 	struct lirc_buffer *buf;
 	bool buf_internal;
-	unsigned int chunk_size;
 
 	struct device dev;
 	struct cdev cdev;
@@ -80,16 +79,8 @@ static void lirc_release(struct device *ld)
 static int lirc_allocate_buffer(struct irctl *ir)
 {
 	int err = 0;
-	int bytes_in_key;
-	unsigned int chunk_size;
-	unsigned int buffer_size;
 	struct lirc_driver *d = &ir->d;
 
-	bytes_in_key = BITS_TO_LONGS(d->code_length) +
-						(d->code_length % 8 ? 1 : 0);
-	buffer_size = d->buffer_size ? d->buffer_size : BUFLEN / bytes_in_key;
-	chunk_size  = d->chunk_size  ? d->chunk_size  : bytes_in_key;
-
 	if (d->rbuf) {
 		ir->buf = d->rbuf;
 		ir->buf_internal = false;
@@ -100,7 +91,7 @@ static int lirc_allocate_buffer(struct irctl *ir)
 			goto out;
 		}
 
-		err = lirc_buffer_init(ir->buf, chunk_size, buffer_size);
+		err = lirc_buffer_init(ir->buf, d->chunk_size, d->buffer_size);
 		if (err) {
 			kfree(ir->buf);
 			ir->buf = NULL;
@@ -110,7 +101,6 @@ static int lirc_allocate_buffer(struct irctl *ir)
 		ir->buf_internal = true;
 		d->rbuf = ir->buf;
 	}
-	ir->chunk_size = ir->buf->chunk_size;
 
 out:
 	return err;
@@ -137,6 +127,16 @@ int lirc_register_driver(struct lirc_driver *d)
 		return -EINVAL;
 	}
 
+	if (!d->rbuf && d->chunk_size < 1) {
+		pr_err("chunk_size must be set!\n");
+		return -EINVAL;
+	}
+
+	if (!d->rbuf && d->buffer_size < 1) {
+		pr_err("buffer_size must be set!\n");
+		return -EINVAL;
+	}
+
 	if (d->code_length < 1 || d->code_length > (BUFLEN * 8)) {
 		dev_err(d->dev, "code length must be less than %d bits\n",
 								BUFLEN * 8);
@@ -413,7 +413,7 @@ ssize_t lirc_dev_fop_read(struct file *file,
 
 	dev_dbg(ir->d.dev, LOGHEAD "read called\n", ir->d.name, ir->d.minor);
 
-	buf = kzalloc(ir->chunk_size, GFP_KERNEL);
+	buf = kzalloc(ir->buf->chunk_size, GFP_KERNEL);
 	if (!buf)
 		return -ENOMEM;
 
@@ -426,7 +426,7 @@ ssize_t lirc_dev_fop_read(struct file *file,
 		goto out_locked;
 	}
 
-	if (length % ir->chunk_size) {
+	if (length % ir->buf->chunk_size) {
 		ret = -EINVAL;
 		goto out_locked;
 	}
diff --git a/include/media/lirc_dev.h b/include/media/lirc_dev.h
index 050cb53b89c0..aeeb4045da90 100644
--- a/include/media/lirc_dev.h
+++ b/include/media/lirc_dev.h
@@ -128,13 +128,14 @@ static inline unsigned int lirc_buffer_write(struct lirc_buffer *buf,
  *
  * @code_length:	length of the remote control key code expressed in bits.
  *
- * @buffer_size:	Number of FIFO buffers with @chunk_size size. If zero,
- *			creates a buffer with BUFLEN size (16 bytes).
- *
  * @features:		lirc compatible hardware features, like LIRC_MODE_RAW,
  *			LIRC_CAN\_\*, as defined at include/media/lirc.h.
  *
+ * @buffer_size:	Number of FIFO buffers with @chunk_size size.
+ *			Only used if @rbuf is NULL.
+ *
  * @chunk_size:		Size of each FIFO buffer.
+ *			Only used if @rbuf is NULL.
  *
  * @data:		it may point to any driver data and this pointer will
  *			be passed to all callback functions.
@@ -169,9 +170,9 @@ struct lirc_driver {
 	char name[40];
 	unsigned int minor;
 	__u32 code_length;
-	unsigned int buffer_size; /* in chunks holding one code each */
 	__u32 features;
 
+	unsigned int buffer_size; /* in chunks holding one code each */
 	unsigned int chunk_size;
 
 	void *data;