diff --git a/Documentation/input/event-codes.txt b/Documentation/input/event-codes.txt
index f13aee550409..23fcb05175be 100644
--- a/Documentation/input/event-codes.txt
+++ b/Documentation/input/event-codes.txt
@@ -85,6 +85,12 @@ sent in the evdev event stream.
   - Used to synchronize and separate touch events. See the
     multi-touch-protocol.txt document for more information.
 
+* SYN_DROPPED:
+  - Used to indicate buffer overrun in the evdev client's event queue.
+    Client should ignore all events up to and including next SYN_REPORT
+    event and query the device (using EVIOCG* ioctls) to obtain its
+    current state.
+
 EV_KEY:
 ----------
 EV_KEY events take the form KEY_<name> or BTN_<name>. For example, KEY_A is used
diff --git a/drivers/input/evdev.c b/drivers/input/evdev.c
index 7f42d3a454d2..88d8e4cb419a 100644
--- a/drivers/input/evdev.c
+++ b/drivers/input/evdev.c
@@ -39,13 +39,13 @@ struct evdev {
 };
 
 struct evdev_client {
-	int head;
-	int tail;
+	unsigned int head;
+	unsigned int tail;
 	spinlock_t buffer_lock; /* protects access to buffer, head and tail */
 	struct fasync_struct *fasync;
 	struct evdev *evdev;
 	struct list_head node;
-	int bufsize;
+	unsigned int bufsize;
 	struct input_event buffer[];
 };
 
@@ -55,16 +55,25 @@ static DEFINE_MUTEX(evdev_table_mutex);
 static void evdev_pass_event(struct evdev_client *client,
 			     struct input_event *event)
 {
-	/*
-	 * Interrupts are disabled, just acquire the lock.
-	 * Make sure we don't leave with the client buffer
-	 * "empty" by having client->head == client->tail.
-	 */
+	/* Interrupts are disabled, just acquire the lock. */
 	spin_lock(&client->buffer_lock);
-	do {
-		client->buffer[client->head++] = *event;
-		client->head &= client->bufsize - 1;
-	} while (client->head == client->tail);
+
+	client->buffer[client->head++] = *event;
+	client->head &= client->bufsize - 1;
+
+	if (unlikely(client->head == client->tail)) {
+		/*
+		 * This effectively "drops" all unconsumed events, leaving
+		 * EV_SYN/SYN_DROPPED plus the newest event in the queue.
+		 */
+		client->tail = (client->head - 2) & (client->bufsize - 1);
+
+		client->buffer[client->tail].time = event->time;
+		client->buffer[client->tail].type = EV_SYN;
+		client->buffer[client->tail].code = SYN_DROPPED;
+		client->buffer[client->tail].value = 0;
+	}
+
 	spin_unlock(&client->buffer_lock);
 
 	if (event->type == EV_SYN)
diff --git a/include/linux/input.h b/include/linux/input.h
index 0cc25e4ce2ab..73a8c6ee595b 100644
--- a/include/linux/input.h
+++ b/include/linux/input.h
@@ -167,6 +167,7 @@ struct input_keymap_entry {
 #define SYN_REPORT		0
 #define SYN_CONFIG		1
 #define SYN_MT_REPORT		2
+#define SYN_DROPPED		3
 
 /*
  * Keys and buttons