diff --git a/Documentation/thermal/sysfs-api.txt b/Documentation/thermal/sysfs-api.txt
index 6a70b55c..7efd8e6 100644
--- a/Documentation/thermal/sysfs-api.txt
+++ b/Documentation/thermal/sysfs-api.txt
@@ -405,3 +405,8 @@ platform data is provided, this uses the step_wise throttling policy.
 This function serves as an arbitrator to set the state of a cooling
 device. It sets the cooling device to the deepest cooling state if
 possible.
+
+5.5:thermal_update_governor:
+This function update the thermal zone's governor to a new one and update
+the governor data of the new governor for that thermal zone. Returns 0 if
+success, an erro code otherwise.
diff --git a/drivers/thermal/thermal_core.c b/drivers/thermal/thermal_core.c
index aab1df8..d922baf 100644
--- a/drivers/thermal/thermal_core.c
+++ b/drivers/thermal/thermal_core.c
@@ -93,10 +93,17 @@ int thermal_register_governor(struct thermal_governor *governor)
 			name = pos->tzp->governor_name;
 		else
 			name = DEFAULT_THERMAL_GOVERNOR;
-		if (!strnicmp(name, governor->name, THERMAL_NAME_LENGTH))
+		if (!strnicmp(name, governor->name, THERMAL_NAME_LENGTH)) {
+			if (governor->start) {
+				err = governor->start(pos);
+				if (err < 0)
+					goto exit;
+			}
 			pos->governor = governor;
+		}
 	}
 
+exit:
 	mutex_unlock(&thermal_list_lock);
 	mutex_unlock(&thermal_governor_lock);
 
@@ -119,8 +126,11 @@ void thermal_unregister_governor(struct thermal_governor *governor)
 
 	list_for_each_entry(pos, &thermal_tz_list, node) {
 		if (!strnicmp(pos->governor->name, governor->name,
-						THERMAL_NAME_LENGTH))
+						THERMAL_NAME_LENGTH)) {
+			if (pos->governor->stop)
+				pos->governor->stop(pos);
 			pos->governor = NULL;
+		}
 	}
 
 	mutex_unlock(&thermal_list_lock);
@@ -130,6 +140,51 @@ exit:
 	return;
 }
 
+/**
+ * thermal_update_governor() - update the thermal zone device's governor
+ * to a new one.
+ * @tzd: pointer of thermal zone device, which need to update governor.
+ * @name: new governor name.
+ * @gov_data: governor data for the new governor if needed.
+ *
+ * Return: On success returns 0, an error code otherwise
+ */
+int thermal_update_governor(struct thermal_zone_device *tzd,
+			    const char *name, void *gov_data)
+{
+	struct thermal_governor *old_gov, *new_gov;
+	int ret = 0;
+
+	mutex_lock(&thermal_governor_lock);
+
+	new_gov = __find_governor(name);
+	if (!new_gov) {
+		ret = -EINVAL;
+		goto exit;
+	}
+
+	old_gov = tzd->governor;
+
+	if (old_gov && old_gov->stop)
+		old_gov->stop(tzd);
+
+	if (new_gov->start) {
+		ret = new_gov->start(tzd);
+		if (ret < 0) {
+			if (old_gov && old_gov->start)
+				old_gov->start(tzd);
+			goto exit;
+		}
+	}
+
+	tzd->governor = new_gov;
+	tzd->governor_data = gov_data;
+
+exit:
+	mutex_unlock(&thermal_governor_lock);
+	return ret;
+}
+
 static int get_idr(struct idr *idr, struct mutex *lock, int *id)
 {
 	int ret;
@@ -734,22 +789,17 @@ policy_store(struct device *dev, struct device_attribute *attr,
 {
 	int ret = -EINVAL;
 	struct thermal_zone_device *tz = to_thermal_zone(dev);
-	struct thermal_governor *gov;
 	char name[THERMAL_NAME_LENGTH];
 
 	snprintf(name, sizeof(name), "%s", buf);
 
-	mutex_lock(&thermal_governor_lock);
-
-	gov = __find_governor(strim(name));
-	if (!gov)
+	ret = thermal_update_governor(tz, strim(name), NULL);
+	if (ret < 0)
 		goto exit;
 
-	tz->governor = gov;
 	ret = count;
 
 exit:
-	mutex_unlock(&thermal_governor_lock);
 	return ret;
 }
 
@@ -1559,6 +1609,12 @@ struct thermal_zone_device *thermal_zone_device_register(const char *type,
 	else
 		tz->governor = __find_governor(DEFAULT_THERMAL_GOVERNOR);
 
+	if (tz->governor->start) {
+		result = tz->governor->start(tz);
+		if (result < 0)
+			tz->governor = NULL;
+	}
+
 	mutex_unlock(&thermal_governor_lock);
 
 	if (!tz->tzp || !tz->tzp->no_hwmon) {
@@ -1585,6 +1641,9 @@ struct thermal_zone_device *thermal_zone_device_register(const char *type,
 		return tz;
 
 unregister:
+	if (tz->governor && tz->governor->stop)
+		tz->governor->stop(tz);
+	tz->governor = NULL;
 	release_idr(&thermal_tz_idr, &thermal_idr_lock, tz->id);
 	device_unregister(&tz->device);
 	return ERR_PTR(result);
@@ -1648,6 +1707,9 @@ void thermal_zone_device_unregister(struct thermal_zone_device *tz)
 	device_remove_file(&tz->device, &dev_attr_policy);
 	device_remove_file(&tz->device, &dev_attr_available_policies);
 	remove_trip_attrs(tz);
+
+	if (tz->governor && tz->governor->stop)
+		tz->governor->stop(tz);
 	tz->governor = NULL;
 
 	thermal_remove_hwmon_sysfs(tz);
diff --git a/include/linux/thermal.h b/include/linux/thermal.h
index f7e11c7..a473736 100644
--- a/include/linux/thermal.h
+++ b/include/linux/thermal.h
@@ -177,6 +177,7 @@ struct thermal_zone_device {
 	struct thermal_zone_device_ops *ops;
 	const struct thermal_zone_params *tzp;
 	struct thermal_governor *governor;
+	void *governor_data;
 	struct list_head thermal_instances;
 	struct idr idr;
 	struct mutex lock; /* protect thermal_instances list */
@@ -187,6 +188,15 @@ struct thermal_zone_device {
 /* Structure that holds thermal governor information */
 struct thermal_governor {
 	char name[THERMAL_NAME_LENGTH];
+
+	/*
+	 * The start and stop operations will be called when thermal zone is
+	 * registered and when change governor via sysfs or driver in running
+	 * time.
+	 */
+	int (*start)(struct thermal_zone_device *tz);
+	void (*stop)(struct thermal_zone_device *tz);
+
 	int (*throttle)(struct thermal_zone_device *tz, int trip);
 	struct list_head	governor_list;
 };
@@ -293,6 +303,8 @@ struct thermal_instance *get_thermal_instance(struct thermal_zone_device *,
 		struct thermal_cooling_device *, int);
 void thermal_cdev_update(struct thermal_cooling_device *);
 void thermal_notify_framework(struct thermal_zone_device *, int);
+int thermal_update_governor(struct thermal_zone_device *, const char *,
+			    void *);
 
 #ifdef CONFIG_NET
 extern int thermal_generate_netlink_event(struct thermal_zone_device *tz,
