diff --git a/net/batman-adv/Makefile b/net/batman-adv/Makefile
index 79833ebcc2dd..bd7e343c98d1 100644
--- a/net/batman-adv/Makefile
+++ b/net/batman-adv/Makefile
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ obj-$(CONFIG_BATMAN_ADV) += batman-adv.o
 batman-adv-y += bat_iv_ogm.o
 batman-adv-y += bitarray.o
 batman-adv-$(CONFIG_BATMAN_ADV_BLA) += bridge_loop_avoidance.o
-batman-adv-y += debugfs.o
+batman-adv-$(CONFIG_DEBUG_FS) += debugfs.o
 batman-adv-$(CONFIG_BATMAN_ADV_DAT) += distributed-arp-table.o
 batman-adv-y += fragmentation.o
 batman-adv-y += gateway_client.o
diff --git a/net/batman-adv/debugfs.c b/net/batman-adv/debugfs.c
index 0c213a892296..46118084221a 100644
--- a/net/batman-adv/debugfs.c
+++ b/net/batman-adv/debugfs.c
@@ -482,11 +482,7 @@ rem_attr:
 	debugfs_remove_recursive(hard_iface->debug_dir);
 	hard_iface->debug_dir = NULL;
 out:
-#ifdef CONFIG_DEBUG_FS
 	return -ENOMEM;
-#else
-	return 0;
-#endif /* CONFIG_DEBUG_FS */
 }
 
 /**
@@ -541,11 +537,7 @@ rem_attr:
 	debugfs_remove_recursive(bat_priv->debug_dir);
 	bat_priv->debug_dir = NULL;
 out:
-#ifdef CONFIG_DEBUG_FS
 	return -ENOMEM;
-#else
-	return 0;
-#endif /* CONFIG_DEBUG_FS */
 }
 
 void batadv_debugfs_del_meshif(struct net_device *dev)
diff --git a/net/batman-adv/debugfs.h b/net/batman-adv/debugfs.h
index f3b49c394446..ed25605ca732 100644
--- a/net/batman-adv/debugfs.h
+++ b/net/batman-adv/debugfs.h
@@ -20,6 +20,8 @@
 
 #define BATADV_DEBUGFS_SUBDIR "batman_adv"
 
+#if IS_ENABLED(CONFIG_DEBUG_FS)
+
 void batadv_debugfs_init(void);
 void batadv_debugfs_destroy(void);
 int batadv_debugfs_add_meshif(struct net_device *dev);
@@ -27,4 +29,36 @@ void batadv_debugfs_del_meshif(struct net_device *dev);
 int batadv_debugfs_add_hardif(struct batadv_hard_iface *hard_iface);
 void batadv_debugfs_del_hardif(struct batadv_hard_iface *hard_iface);
 
+#else
+
+static inline void batadv_debugfs_init(void)
+{
+}
+
+static inline void batadv_debugfs_destroy(void)
+{
+}
+
+static inline int batadv_debugfs_add_meshif(struct net_device *dev)
+{
+	return 0;
+}
+
+static inline void batadv_debugfs_del_meshif(struct net_device *dev)
+{
+}
+
+static inline
+int batadv_debugfs_add_hardif(struct batadv_hard_iface *hard_iface)
+{
+	return 0;
+}
+
+static inline
+void batadv_debugfs_del_hardif(struct batadv_hard_iface *hard_iface)
+{
+}
+
+#endif
+
 #endif /* _NET_BATMAN_ADV_DEBUGFS_H_ */