diff --git a/sound/soc/intel/boards/Kconfig b/sound/soc/intel/boards/Kconfig
index ef20316e83d1..145eb55bd691 100644
--- a/sound/soc/intel/boards/Kconfig
+++ b/sound/soc/intel/boards/Kconfig
@@ -13,6 +13,19 @@ menuconfig SND_SOC_INTEL_MACH
 
 if SND_SOC_INTEL_MACH
 
+config SND_SOC_INTEL_USER_FRIENDLY_LONG_NAMES
+	bool "Use more user friendly long card names"
+	help
+	  Some drivers report the I/O configuration to userspace through the
+	  soundcard's long card name in the control user space AP. An unfortunate
+	  side effect is that this long name may also be used by the GUI,
+	  confusing users with information they don't need.
+	  This option prevents the long name from being modified, and the I/O
+	  configuration will be provided through a different component interface.
+	  Select Y if userspace like UCM (Use Case Manager) uses the component
+	  interface.
+	  If unsure select N.
+
 if SND_SOC_INTEL_HASWELL
 
 config SND_SOC_INTEL_HASWELL_MACH
diff --git a/sound/soc/intel/boards/bytcht_es8316.c b/sound/soc/intel/boards/bytcht_es8316.c
index efa33f30dcac..12a1c5255484 100644
--- a/sound/soc/intel/boards/bytcht_es8316.c
+++ b/sound/soc/intel/boards/bytcht_es8316.c
@@ -360,7 +360,9 @@ static struct snd_soc_dai_link byt_cht_es8316_dais[] = {
 
 /* SoC card */
 static char codec_name[SND_ACPI_I2C_ID_LEN];
+#if !IS_ENABLED(CONFIG_SND_SOC_INTEL_USER_FRIENDLY_LONG_NAMES)
 static char long_name[50]; /* = "bytcht-es8316-*-spk-*-mic" */
+#endif
 static char components_string[32]; /* = "cfg-spk:* cfg-mic:* */
 
 static int byt_cht_es8316_suspend(struct snd_soc_card *card)
@@ -578,10 +580,12 @@ static int snd_byt_cht_es8316_mc_probe(struct platform_device *pdev)
 		 (quirk & BYT_CHT_ES8316_MONO_SPEAKER) ? "1" : "2",
 		 mic_name[BYT_CHT_ES8316_MAP(quirk)]);
 	byt_cht_es8316_card.components = components_string;
+#if !IS_ENABLED(CONFIG_SND_SOC_INTEL_USER_FRIENDLY_LONG_NAMES)
 	snprintf(long_name, sizeof(long_name), "bytcht-es8316-%s-spk-%s-mic",
 		 (quirk & BYT_CHT_ES8316_MONO_SPEAKER) ? "mono" : "stereo",
 		 mic_name[BYT_CHT_ES8316_MAP(quirk)]);
 	byt_cht_es8316_card.long_name = long_name;
+#endif
 
 	/* register the soc card */
 	snd_soc_card_set_drvdata(&byt_cht_es8316_card, priv);
diff --git a/sound/soc/intel/boards/bytcr_rt5640.c b/sound/soc/intel/boards/bytcr_rt5640.c
index 7bc6d3cec94c..648fcc1d07b5 100644
--- a/sound/soc/intel/boards/bytcr_rt5640.c
+++ b/sound/soc/intel/boards/bytcr_rt5640.c
@@ -1082,7 +1082,9 @@ static struct snd_soc_dai_link byt_rt5640_dais[] = {
 static char byt_rt5640_codec_name[SND_ACPI_I2C_ID_LEN];
 static char byt_rt5640_codec_aif_name[12]; /*  = "rt5640-aif[1|2]" */
 static char byt_rt5640_cpu_dai_name[10]; /*  = "ssp[0|2]-port" */
+#if !IS_ENABLED(CONFIG_SND_SOC_INTEL_USER_FRIENDLY_LONG_NAMES)
 static char byt_rt5640_long_name[40]; /* = "bytcr-rt5640-*-spk-*-mic" */
+#endif
 static char byt_rt5640_components[32]; /* = "cfg-spk:* cfg-mic:*" */
 
 static int byt_rt5640_suspend(struct snd_soc_card *card)
@@ -1311,12 +1313,14 @@ static int snd_byt_rt5640_mc_probe(struct platform_device *pdev)
 		 (byt_rt5640_quirk & BYT_RT5640_MONO_SPEAKER) ? "1" : "2",
 		 map_name[BYT_RT5640_MAP(byt_rt5640_quirk)]);
 	byt_rt5640_card.components = byt_rt5640_components;
+#if !IS_ENABLED(CONFIG_SND_SOC_INTEL_USER_FRIENDLY_LONG_NAMES)
 	snprintf(byt_rt5640_long_name, sizeof(byt_rt5640_long_name),
 		 "bytcr-rt5640-%s-spk-%s-mic",
 		 (byt_rt5640_quirk & BYT_RT5640_MONO_SPEAKER) ?
 			"mono" : "stereo",
 		 map_name[BYT_RT5640_MAP(byt_rt5640_quirk)]);
 	byt_rt5640_card.long_name = byt_rt5640_long_name;
+#endif
 
 	/* override plaform name, if required */
 	platform_name = mach->mach_params.platform;
diff --git a/sound/soc/intel/boards/bytcr_rt5651.c b/sound/soc/intel/boards/bytcr_rt5651.c
index 80a5674ddb1b..c0d322a859f7 100644
--- a/sound/soc/intel/boards/bytcr_rt5651.c
+++ b/sound/soc/intel/boards/bytcr_rt5651.c
@@ -797,7 +797,9 @@ static struct snd_soc_dai_link byt_rt5651_dais[] = {
 static char byt_rt5651_codec_name[SND_ACPI_I2C_ID_LEN];
 static char byt_rt5651_codec_aif_name[12]; /*  = "rt5651-aif[1|2]" */
 static char byt_rt5651_cpu_dai_name[10]; /*  = "ssp[0|2]-port" */
+#if !IS_ENABLED(CONFIG_SND_SOC_INTEL_USER_FRIENDLY_LONG_NAMES)
 static char byt_rt5651_long_name[50]; /* = "bytcr-rt5651-*-spk-*-mic[-swapped-hp]" */
+#endif
 static char byt_rt5651_components[50]; /* = "cfg-spk:* cfg-mic:*" */
 
 static int byt_rt5651_suspend(struct snd_soc_card *card)
@@ -1087,6 +1089,7 @@ static int snd_byt_rt5651_mc_probe(struct platform_device *pdev)
 		 (byt_rt5651_quirk & BYT_RT5651_HP_LR_SWAPPED) ?
 			" cfg-hp:lrswap" : "");
 	byt_rt5651_card.components = byt_rt5651_components;
+#if !IS_ENABLED(CONFIG_SND_SOC_INTEL_USER_FRIENDLY_LONG_NAMES)
 	snprintf(byt_rt5651_long_name, sizeof(byt_rt5651_long_name),
 		 "bytcr-rt5651-%s-spk-%s-mic%s",
 		 (byt_rt5651_quirk & BYT_RT5651_MONO_SPEAKER) ?
@@ -1095,6 +1098,7 @@ static int snd_byt_rt5651_mc_probe(struct platform_device *pdev)
 		 (byt_rt5651_quirk & BYT_RT5651_HP_LR_SWAPPED) ?
 			"-hp-swapped" : "");
 	byt_rt5651_card.long_name = byt_rt5651_long_name;
+#endif
 
 	/* override plaform name, if required */
 	platform_name = mach->mach_params.platform;
