diff --git a/drivers/media/video/ivtv/ivtv-fileops.c b/drivers/media/video/ivtv/ivtv-fileops.c
index d4275d2460cb..38f052257f46 100644
--- a/drivers/media/video/ivtv/ivtv-fileops.c
+++ b/drivers/media/video/ivtv/ivtv-fileops.c
@@ -966,10 +966,6 @@ static int ivtv_serialized_open(struct ivtv_stream *s, struct file *filp)
 		return -ENOMEM;
 	}
 	v4l2_fh_init(&item->fh, s->vdev);
-	if (s->type == IVTV_DEC_STREAM_TYPE_YUV ||
-	    s->type == IVTV_DEC_STREAM_TYPE_MPG) {
-		res = v4l2_event_alloc(&item->fh, 60);
-	}
 	if (res < 0) {
 		v4l2_fh_exit(&item->fh);
 		kfree(item);
diff --git a/drivers/media/video/ivtv/ivtv-ioctl.c b/drivers/media/video/ivtv/ivtv-ioctl.c
index ff75d07097b2..3e5c090af112 100644
--- a/drivers/media/video/ivtv/ivtv-ioctl.c
+++ b/drivers/media/video/ivtv/ivtv-ioctl.c
@@ -1450,13 +1450,11 @@ static int ivtv_subscribe_event(struct v4l2_fh *fh, struct v4l2_event_subscripti
 	switch (sub->type) {
 	case V4L2_EVENT_VSYNC:
 	case V4L2_EVENT_EOS:
-		break;
 	case V4L2_EVENT_CTRL:
-		return v4l2_ctrl_subscribe_fh(fh, sub, 0);
+		return v4l2_event_subscribe(fh, sub, 0);
 	default:
 		return -EINVAL;
 	}
-	return v4l2_event_subscribe(fh, sub);
 }
 
 static int ivtv_log_status(struct file *file, void *fh)
diff --git a/drivers/media/video/omap3isp/ispccdc.c b/drivers/media/video/omap3isp/ispccdc.c
index 39d501bda636..67662470661d 100644
--- a/drivers/media/video/omap3isp/ispccdc.c
+++ b/drivers/media/video/omap3isp/ispccdc.c
@@ -1691,7 +1691,7 @@ static int ccdc_subscribe_event(struct v4l2_subdev *sd, struct v4l2_fh *fh,
 	if (sub->type != V4L2_EVENT_OMAP3ISP_HS_VS)
 		return -EINVAL;
 
-	return v4l2_event_subscribe(fh, sub);
+	return v4l2_event_subscribe(fh, sub, OMAP3ISP_CCDC_NEVENTS);
 }
 
 static int ccdc_unsubscribe_event(struct v4l2_subdev *sd, struct v4l2_fh *fh,
@@ -2162,7 +2162,6 @@ static int ccdc_init_entities(struct isp_ccdc_device *ccdc)
 	sd->grp_id = 1 << 16;	/* group ID for isp subdevs */
 	v4l2_set_subdevdata(sd, ccdc);
 	sd->flags |= V4L2_SUBDEV_FL_HAS_EVENTS | V4L2_SUBDEV_FL_HAS_DEVNODE;
-	sd->nevents = OMAP3ISP_CCDC_NEVENTS;
 
 	pads[CCDC_PAD_SINK].flags = MEDIA_PAD_FL_SINK;
 	pads[CCDC_PAD_SOURCE_VP].flags = MEDIA_PAD_FL_SOURCE;
diff --git a/drivers/media/video/omap3isp/ispstat.c b/drivers/media/video/omap3isp/ispstat.c
index b44cb685236a..808065948ac1 100644
--- a/drivers/media/video/omap3isp/ispstat.c
+++ b/drivers/media/video/omap3isp/ispstat.c
@@ -1032,7 +1032,6 @@ static int isp_stat_init_entities(struct ispstat *stat, const char *name,
 	snprintf(subdev->name, V4L2_SUBDEV_NAME_SIZE, "OMAP3 ISP %s", name);
 	subdev->grp_id = 1 << 16;	/* group ID for isp subdevs */
 	subdev->flags |= V4L2_SUBDEV_FL_HAS_EVENTS | V4L2_SUBDEV_FL_HAS_DEVNODE;
-	subdev->nevents = STAT_NEVENTS;
 	v4l2_set_subdevdata(subdev, stat);
 
 	stat->pad.flags = MEDIA_PAD_FL_SINK;
@@ -1050,7 +1049,7 @@ int omap3isp_stat_subscribe_event(struct v4l2_subdev *subdev,
 	if (sub->type != stat->event_type)
 		return -EINVAL;
 
-	return v4l2_event_subscribe(fh, sub);
+	return v4l2_event_subscribe(fh, sub, STAT_NEVENTS);
 }
 
 int omap3isp_stat_unsubscribe_event(struct v4l2_subdev *subdev,
diff --git a/drivers/media/video/v4l2-ctrls.c b/drivers/media/video/v4l2-ctrls.c
index b63fe2a17fce..a37e5bff4342 100644
--- a/drivers/media/video/v4l2-ctrls.c
+++ b/drivers/media/video/v4l2-ctrls.c
@@ -1011,7 +1011,6 @@ static int handler_new_ref(struct v4l2_ctrl_handler *hdl,
 	   insertion is an O(1) operation. */
 	if (list_empty(&hdl->ctrl_refs) || id > node2id(hdl->ctrl_refs.prev)) {
 		list_add_tail(&new_ref->node, &hdl->ctrl_refs);
-		hdl->nr_of_refs++;
 		goto insert_in_hash;
 	}
 
@@ -2051,20 +2050,3 @@ void v4l2_ctrl_del_event(struct v4l2_ctrl *ctrl,
 	v4l2_ctrl_unlock(ctrl);
 }
 EXPORT_SYMBOL(v4l2_ctrl_del_event);
-
-int v4l2_ctrl_subscribe_fh(struct v4l2_fh *fh,
-			struct v4l2_event_subscription *sub, unsigned n)
-{
-	struct v4l2_ctrl_handler *hdl = fh->ctrl_handler;
-	int ret = 0;
-
-	if (!ret) {
-		if (hdl->nr_of_refs * 2 > n)
-			n = hdl->nr_of_refs * 2;
-		ret = v4l2_event_alloc(fh, n);
-	}
-	if (!ret)
-		ret = v4l2_event_subscribe(fh, sub);
-	return ret;
-}
-EXPORT_SYMBOL(v4l2_ctrl_subscribe_fh);
diff --git a/drivers/media/video/v4l2-event.c b/drivers/media/video/v4l2-event.c
index dc68f6085697..9e325dd3ce27 100644
--- a/drivers/media/video/v4l2-event.c
+++ b/drivers/media/video/v4l2-event.c
@@ -30,44 +30,11 @@
 #include <linux/sched.h>
 #include <linux/slab.h>
 
-static void v4l2_event_unsubscribe_all(struct v4l2_fh *fh);
-
-int v4l2_event_alloc(struct v4l2_fh *fh, unsigned int n)
+static unsigned sev_pos(const struct v4l2_subscribed_event *sev, unsigned idx)
 {
-	unsigned long flags;
-
-	while (fh->nallocated < n) {
-		struct v4l2_kevent *kev;
-
-		kev = kzalloc(sizeof(*kev), GFP_KERNEL);
-		if (kev == NULL)
-			return -ENOMEM;
-
-		spin_lock_irqsave(&fh->vdev->fh_lock, flags);
-		list_add_tail(&kev->list, &fh->free);
-		fh->nallocated++;
-		spin_unlock_irqrestore(&fh->vdev->fh_lock, flags);
-	}
-
-	return 0;
+	idx += sev->first;
+	return idx >= sev->elems ? idx - sev->elems : idx;
 }
-EXPORT_SYMBOL_GPL(v4l2_event_alloc);
-
-#define list_kfree(list, type, member)				\
-	while (!list_empty(list)) {				\
-		type *hi;					\
-		hi = list_first_entry(list, type, member);	\
-		list_del(&hi->member);				\
-		kfree(hi);					\
-	}
-
-void v4l2_event_free(struct v4l2_fh *fh)
-{
-	list_kfree(&fh->free, struct v4l2_kevent, list);
-	list_kfree(&fh->available, struct v4l2_kevent, list);
-	v4l2_event_unsubscribe_all(fh);
-}
-EXPORT_SYMBOL_GPL(v4l2_event_free);
 
 static int __v4l2_event_dequeue(struct v4l2_fh *fh, struct v4l2_event *event)
 {
@@ -84,11 +51,13 @@ static int __v4l2_event_dequeue(struct v4l2_fh *fh, struct v4l2_event *event)
 	WARN_ON(fh->navailable == 0);
 
 	kev = list_first_entry(&fh->available, struct v4l2_kevent, list);
-	list_move(&kev->list, &fh->free);
+	list_del(&kev->list);
 	fh->navailable--;
 
 	kev->event.pending = fh->navailable;
 	*event = kev->event;
+	kev->sev->first = sev_pos(kev->sev, 1);
+	kev->sev->in_use--;
 
 	spin_unlock_irqrestore(&fh->vdev->fh_lock, flags);
 
@@ -154,17 +123,24 @@ static void __v4l2_event_queue_fh(struct v4l2_fh *fh, const struct v4l2_event *e
 	fh->sequence++;
 
 	/* Do we have any free events? */
-	if (list_empty(&fh->free))
-		return;
+	if (sev->in_use == sev->elems) {
+		/* no, remove the oldest one */
+		kev = sev->events + sev_pos(sev, 0);
+		list_del(&kev->list);
+		sev->in_use--;
+		sev->first = sev_pos(sev, 1);
+		fh->navailable--;
+	}
 
 	/* Take one and fill it. */
-	kev = list_first_entry(&fh->free, struct v4l2_kevent, list);
+	kev = sev->events + sev_pos(sev, sev->in_use);
 	kev->event.type = ev->type;
 	kev->event.u = ev->u;
 	kev->event.id = ev->id;
 	kev->event.timestamp = *ts;
 	kev->event.sequence = fh->sequence;
-	list_move_tail(&kev->list, &fh->available);
+	sev->in_use++;
+	list_add_tail(&kev->list, &fh->available);
 
 	fh->navailable++;
 
@@ -209,38 +185,39 @@ int v4l2_event_pending(struct v4l2_fh *fh)
 EXPORT_SYMBOL_GPL(v4l2_event_pending);
 
 int v4l2_event_subscribe(struct v4l2_fh *fh,
-			 struct v4l2_event_subscription *sub)
+			 struct v4l2_event_subscription *sub, unsigned elems)
 {
 	struct v4l2_subscribed_event *sev, *found_ev;
 	struct v4l2_ctrl *ctrl = NULL;
 	unsigned long flags;
+	unsigned i;
 
+	if (elems < 1)
+		elems = 1;
 	if (sub->type == V4L2_EVENT_CTRL) {
 		ctrl = v4l2_ctrl_find(fh->ctrl_handler, sub->id);
 		if (ctrl == NULL)
 			return -EINVAL;
 	}
 
-	sev = kzalloc(sizeof(*sev), GFP_KERNEL);
+	sev = kzalloc(sizeof(*sev) + sizeof(struct v4l2_kevent) * elems, GFP_KERNEL);
 	if (!sev)
 		return -ENOMEM;
+	for (i = 0; i < elems; i++)
+		sev->events[i].sev = sev;
+	sev->type = sub->type;
+	sev->id = sub->id;
+	sev->flags = sub->flags;
+	sev->fh = fh;
+	sev->elems = elems;
 
 	spin_lock_irqsave(&fh->vdev->fh_lock, flags);
-
 	found_ev = v4l2_event_subscribed(fh, sub->type, sub->id);
-	if (!found_ev) {
-		INIT_LIST_HEAD(&sev->list);
-		sev->type = sub->type;
-		sev->id = sub->id;
-		sev->fh = fh;
-		sev->flags = sub->flags;
-
+	if (!found_ev)
 		list_add(&sev->list, &fh->subscribed);
-	}
-
 	spin_unlock_irqrestore(&fh->vdev->fh_lock, flags);
 
-	/* v4l2_ctrl_add_fh uses a mutex, so do this outside the spin lock */
+	/* v4l2_ctrl_add_event uses a mutex, so do this outside the spin lock */
 	if (found_ev)
 		kfree(sev);
 	else if (ctrl)
@@ -250,7 +227,7 @@ int v4l2_event_subscribe(struct v4l2_fh *fh,
 }
 EXPORT_SYMBOL_GPL(v4l2_event_subscribe);
 
-static void v4l2_event_unsubscribe_all(struct v4l2_fh *fh)
+void v4l2_event_unsubscribe_all(struct v4l2_fh *fh)
 {
 	struct v4l2_event_subscription sub;
 	struct v4l2_subscribed_event *sev;
@@ -271,6 +248,7 @@ static void v4l2_event_unsubscribe_all(struct v4l2_fh *fh)
 			v4l2_event_unsubscribe(fh, &sub);
 	} while (sev);
 }
+EXPORT_SYMBOL_GPL(v4l2_event_unsubscribe_all);
 
 int v4l2_event_unsubscribe(struct v4l2_fh *fh,
 			   struct v4l2_event_subscription *sub)
diff --git a/drivers/media/video/v4l2-fh.c b/drivers/media/video/v4l2-fh.c
index 333b8c8f40d6..122822d2b8b2 100644
--- a/drivers/media/video/v4l2-fh.c
+++ b/drivers/media/video/v4l2-fh.c
@@ -37,9 +37,7 @@ void v4l2_fh_init(struct v4l2_fh *fh, struct video_device *vdev)
 	INIT_LIST_HEAD(&fh->list);
 	set_bit(V4L2_FL_USES_V4L2_FH, &fh->vdev->flags);
 	fh->prio = V4L2_PRIORITY_UNSET;
-
 	init_waitqueue_head(&fh->wait);
-	INIT_LIST_HEAD(&fh->free);
 	INIT_LIST_HEAD(&fh->available);
 	INIT_LIST_HEAD(&fh->subscribed);
 	fh->sequence = -1;
@@ -88,7 +86,7 @@ void v4l2_fh_exit(struct v4l2_fh *fh)
 {
 	if (fh->vdev == NULL)
 		return;
-	v4l2_event_free(fh);
+	v4l2_event_unsubscribe_all(fh);
 	fh->vdev = NULL;
 }
 EXPORT_SYMBOL_GPL(v4l2_fh_exit);
diff --git a/drivers/media/video/v4l2-subdev.c b/drivers/media/video/v4l2-subdev.c
index 3b67a8584916..b7967c9dc4ae 100644
--- a/drivers/media/video/v4l2-subdev.c
+++ b/drivers/media/video/v4l2-subdev.c
@@ -76,13 +76,6 @@ static int subdev_open(struct file *file)
 	}
 
 	v4l2_fh_init(&subdev_fh->vfh, vdev);
-
-	if (sd->flags & V4L2_SUBDEV_FL_HAS_EVENTS) {
-		ret = v4l2_event_alloc(&subdev_fh->vfh, sd->nevents);
-		if (ret)
-			goto err;
-	}
-
 	v4l2_fh_add(&subdev_fh->vfh);
 	file->private_data = &subdev_fh->vfh;
 #if defined(CONFIG_MEDIA_CONTROLLER)
diff --git a/drivers/media/video/vivi.c b/drivers/media/video/vivi.c
index 1b90713b44c5..cc1cf6b17183 100644
--- a/drivers/media/video/vivi.c
+++ b/drivers/media/video/vivi.c
@@ -993,7 +993,7 @@ static int vidioc_subscribe_event(struct v4l2_fh *fh,
 {
 	switch (sub->type) {
 	case V4L2_EVENT_CTRL:
-		return v4l2_ctrl_subscribe_fh(fh, sub, 0);
+		return v4l2_event_subscribe(fh, sub, 0);
 	default:
 		return -EINVAL;
 	}
diff --git a/drivers/usb/gadget/uvc_v4l2.c b/drivers/usb/gadget/uvc_v4l2.c
index 55828705d859..52f8f9e513af 100644
--- a/drivers/usb/gadget/uvc_v4l2.c
+++ b/drivers/usb/gadget/uvc_v4l2.c
@@ -124,18 +124,12 @@ uvc_v4l2_open(struct file *file)
 	struct video_device *vdev = video_devdata(file);
 	struct uvc_device *uvc = video_get_drvdata(vdev);
 	struct uvc_file_handle *handle;
-	int ret;
 
 	handle = kzalloc(sizeof(*handle), GFP_KERNEL);
 	if (handle == NULL)
 		return -ENOMEM;
 
 	v4l2_fh_init(&handle->vfh, vdev);
-
-	ret = v4l2_event_alloc(&handle->vfh, 8);
-	if (ret < 0)
-		goto error;
-
 	v4l2_fh_add(&handle->vfh);
 
 	handle->device = &uvc->video;
@@ -143,10 +137,6 @@ uvc_v4l2_open(struct file *file)
 
 	uvc_function_connect(uvc);
 	return 0;
-
-error:
-	v4l2_fh_exit(&handle->vfh);
-	return ret;
 }
 
 static int
@@ -308,7 +298,7 @@ uvc_v4l2_do_ioctl(struct file *file, unsigned int cmd, void *arg)
 		if (sub->type < UVC_EVENT_FIRST || sub->type > UVC_EVENT_LAST)
 			return -EINVAL;
 
-		return v4l2_event_subscribe(&handle->vfh, arg);
+		return v4l2_event_subscribe(&handle->vfh, arg, 2);
 	}
 
 	case VIDIOC_UNSUBSCRIBE_EVENT:
diff --git a/include/media/v4l2-ctrls.h b/include/media/v4l2-ctrls.h
index a15e9098f98b..69662912e50c 100644
--- a/include/media/v4l2-ctrls.h
+++ b/include/media/v4l2-ctrls.h
@@ -171,7 +171,6 @@ struct v4l2_ctrl_ref {
   *		control is needed multiple times, so this is a simple
   *		optimization.
   * @buckets:	Buckets for the hashing. Allows for quick control lookup.
-  * @nr_of_refs: Total number of control references in the list.
   * @nr_of_buckets: Total number of buckets in the array.
   * @error:	The error code of the first failed control addition.
   */
@@ -181,7 +180,6 @@ struct v4l2_ctrl_handler {
 	struct list_head ctrl_refs;
 	struct v4l2_ctrl_ref *cached;
 	struct v4l2_ctrl_ref **buckets;
-	u16 nr_of_refs;
 	u16 nr_of_buckets;
 	int error;
 };
@@ -499,23 +497,6 @@ void v4l2_ctrl_add_event(struct v4l2_ctrl *ctrl,
 void v4l2_ctrl_del_event(struct v4l2_ctrl *ctrl,
 		struct v4l2_subscribed_event *sev);
 
-/** v4l2_ctrl_subscribe_fh() - Helper function that subscribes a control event.
-  * @fh:	The file handler that subscribed the control event.
-  * @sub:	The event to subscribe (type must be V4L2_EVENT_CTRL).
-  * @n:		How many events should be allocated? (Passed to v4l2_event_alloc).
-  *		Recommended to set to twice the number of controls plus whatever
-  *		is needed for other events. This function will set n to
-  *		max(n, 2 * fh->ctrl_handler->nr_of_refs).
-  *
-  * A helper function that initializes the fh for events, allocates the
-  * list of events and subscribes the control event.
-  *
-  * Typically called in the handler of VIDIOC_SUBSCRIBE_EVENT in the
-  * V4L2_EVENT_CTRL case.
-  */
-int v4l2_ctrl_subscribe_fh(struct v4l2_fh *fh,
-			struct v4l2_event_subscription *sub, unsigned n);
-
 /* Helpers for ioctl_ops. If hdl == NULL then they will all return -EINVAL. */
 int v4l2_queryctrl(struct v4l2_ctrl_handler *hdl, struct v4l2_queryctrl *qc);
 int v4l2_querymenu(struct v4l2_ctrl_handler *hdl, struct v4l2_querymenu *qm);
diff --git a/include/media/v4l2-event.h b/include/media/v4l2-event.h
index eda17f8d78bc..8d681e5ca552 100644
--- a/include/media/v4l2-event.h
+++ b/include/media/v4l2-event.h
@@ -30,10 +30,15 @@
 #include <linux/wait.h>
 
 struct v4l2_fh;
+struct v4l2_subscribed_event;
 struct video_device;
 
 struct v4l2_kevent {
+	/* list node for the v4l2_fh->available list */
 	struct list_head	list;
+	/* pointer to parent v4l2_subscribed_event */
+	struct v4l2_subscribed_event *sev;
+	/* event itself */
 	struct v4l2_event	event;
 };
 
@@ -50,18 +55,25 @@ struct v4l2_subscribed_event {
 	struct v4l2_fh		*fh;
 	/* list node that hooks into the object's event list (if there is one) */
 	struct list_head	node;
+	/* the number of elements in the events array */
+	unsigned		elems;
+	/* the index of the events containing the oldest available event */
+	unsigned		first;
+	/* the number of queued events */
+	unsigned		in_use;
+	/* an array of elems events */
+	struct v4l2_kevent	events[];
 };
 
-int v4l2_event_alloc(struct v4l2_fh *fh, unsigned int n);
-void v4l2_event_free(struct v4l2_fh *fh);
 int v4l2_event_dequeue(struct v4l2_fh *fh, struct v4l2_event *event,
 		       int nonblocking);
 void v4l2_event_queue(struct video_device *vdev, const struct v4l2_event *ev);
 void v4l2_event_queue_fh(struct v4l2_fh *fh, const struct v4l2_event *ev);
 int v4l2_event_pending(struct v4l2_fh *fh);
 int v4l2_event_subscribe(struct v4l2_fh *fh,
-			 struct v4l2_event_subscription *sub);
+			 struct v4l2_event_subscription *sub, unsigned elems);
 int v4l2_event_unsubscribe(struct v4l2_fh *fh,
 			   struct v4l2_event_subscription *sub);
+void v4l2_event_unsubscribe_all(struct v4l2_fh *fh);
 
 #endif /* V4L2_EVENT_H */
diff --git a/include/media/v4l2-fh.h b/include/media/v4l2-fh.h
index bfc0457ca6ef..52513c225c18 100644
--- a/include/media/v4l2-fh.h
+++ b/include/media/v4l2-fh.h
@@ -40,10 +40,8 @@ struct v4l2_fh {
 	/* Events */
 	wait_queue_head_t	wait;
 	struct list_head	subscribed; /* Subscribed events */
-	struct list_head	free; /* Events ready for use */
 	struct list_head	available; /* Dequeueable event */
 	unsigned int		navailable;
-	unsigned int		nallocated; /* Number of allocated events */
 	u32			sequence;
 };
 
diff --git a/include/media/v4l2-subdev.h b/include/media/v4l2-subdev.h
index 2884e3e69cb1..b05579b4adb7 100644
--- a/include/media/v4l2-subdev.h
+++ b/include/media/v4l2-subdev.h
@@ -513,8 +513,6 @@ struct v4l2_subdev {
 	void *host_priv;
 	/* subdev device node */
 	struct video_device devnode;
-	/* number of events to be allocated on open */
-	unsigned int nevents;
 };
 
 #define media_entity_to_v4l2_subdev(ent) \