diff --git a/include/linux/can/dev.h b/include/linux/can/dev.h
index 52c8be5c..f6416a5 100644
--- a/include/linux/can/dev.h
+++ b/include/linux/can/dev.h
@@ -111,7 +111,14 @@ struct net_device *alloc_candev_mqs(int sizeof_priv, unsigned int echo_skb_max,
 void free_candev(struct net_device *dev);
 
 /* a candev safe wrapper around netdev_priv */
+#if IS_ENABLED(CONFIG_CAN_NETLINK)
 struct can_priv *safe_candev_priv(struct net_device *dev);
+#else
+static inline struct can_priv *safe_candev_priv(struct net_device *dev)
+{
+	return NULL;
+}
+#endif
 
 int open_candev(struct net_device *dev);
 void close_candev(struct net_device *dev);
diff --git a/net/can/Kconfig b/net/can/Kconfig
index af64a6f..e4ccf73 100644
--- a/net/can/Kconfig
+++ b/net/can/Kconfig
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@
 
 menuconfig CAN
 	tristate "CAN bus subsystem support"
+	select CAN_DEV
 	help
 	  Controller Area Network (CAN) is a slow (up to 1Mbit/s) serial
 	  communications protocol. Development of the CAN bus started in