diff --git a/drivers/staging/fsl-mc/bus/dpio/dpio-service.c b/drivers/staging/fsl-mc/bus/dpio/dpio-service.c
index f8096828f5b7..a609ec82daf3 100644
--- a/drivers/staging/fsl-mc/bus/dpio/dpio-service.c
+++ b/drivers/staging/fsl-mc/bus/dpio/dpio-service.c
@@ -76,7 +76,7 @@ static inline struct dpaa2_io *service_select_by_cpu(struct dpaa2_io *d,
 	if (d)
 		return d;
 
-	if (unlikely(cpu >= num_possible_cpus()))
+	if (cpu != DPAA2_IO_ANY_CPU && cpu >= num_possible_cpus())
 		return NULL;
 
 	/*
@@ -121,7 +121,7 @@ struct dpaa2_io *dpaa2_io_create(const struct dpaa2_io_desc *desc)
 		return NULL;
 
 	/* check if CPU is out of range (-1 means any cpu) */
-	if (desc->cpu >= num_possible_cpus()) {
+	if (desc->cpu != DPAA2_IO_ANY_CPU && desc->cpu >= num_possible_cpus()) {
 		kfree(obj);
 		return NULL;
 	}
diff --git a/drivers/staging/fsl-mc/include/dpaa2-io.h b/drivers/staging/fsl-mc/include/dpaa2-io.h
index c5646096c5d4..afc2d060d077 100644
--- a/drivers/staging/fsl-mc/include/dpaa2-io.h
+++ b/drivers/staging/fsl-mc/include/dpaa2-io.h
@@ -54,6 +54,8 @@ struct device;
  * for dequeue.
  */
 
+#define DPAA2_IO_ANY_CPU	-1
+
 /**
  * struct dpaa2_io_desc - The DPIO descriptor
  * @receives_notifications: Use notificaton mode. Non-zero if the DPIO
@@ -91,8 +93,8 @@ irqreturn_t dpaa2_io_irq(struct dpaa2_io *obj);
  * @cb:           The callback to be invoked when the notification arrives
  * @is_cdan:      Zero for FQDAN, non-zero for CDAN
  * @id:           FQID or channel ID, needed for rearm
- * @desired_cpu:  The cpu on which the notifications will show up. -1 means
- *                any CPU.
+ * @desired_cpu:  The cpu on which the notifications will show up. Use
+ *                DPAA2_IO_ANY_CPU if don't care
  * @dpio_id:      The dpio index
  * @qman64:       The 64-bit context value shows up in the FQDAN/CDAN.
  * @node:         The list node