diff --git a/drivers/nvmem/Makefile b/drivers/nvmem/Makefile
index 423baf089515..77be96076ea6 100644
--- a/drivers/nvmem/Makefile
+++ b/drivers/nvmem/Makefile
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
 #
 
 obj-$(CONFIG_NVMEM)		+= nvmem_core.o
-nvmem_core-y			:= core.o
+nvmem_core-y			:= core.o layouts.o
 obj-y				+= layouts/
 
 # Devices
diff --git a/drivers/nvmem/core.c b/drivers/nvmem/core.c
index eefb5d0a0c91..0e364b8e9f99 100644
--- a/drivers/nvmem/core.c
+++ b/drivers/nvmem/core.c
@@ -55,9 +55,6 @@ static LIST_HEAD(nvmem_lookup_list);
 
 static BLOCKING_NOTIFIER_HEAD(nvmem_notifier);
 
-static DEFINE_SPINLOCK(nvmem_layout_lock);
-static LIST_HEAD(nvmem_layouts);
-
 static int __nvmem_reg_read(struct nvmem_device *nvmem, unsigned int offset,
 			    void *val, size_t bytes)
 {
@@ -741,91 +738,22 @@ static int nvmem_add_cells_from_fixed_layout(struct nvmem_device *nvmem)
 	return err;
 }
 
-int __nvmem_layout_register(struct nvmem_layout *layout, struct module *owner)
+int nvmem_layout_register(struct nvmem_layout *layout)
 {
-	layout->owner = owner;
+	if (!layout->add_cells)
+		return -EINVAL;
 
-	spin_lock(&nvmem_layout_lock);
-	list_add(&layout->node, &nvmem_layouts);
-	spin_unlock(&nvmem_layout_lock);
-
-	blocking_notifier_call_chain(&nvmem_notifier, NVMEM_LAYOUT_ADD, layout);
-
-	return 0;
+	/* Populate the cells */
+	return layout->add_cells(&layout->nvmem->dev, layout->nvmem, layout);
 }
-EXPORT_SYMBOL_GPL(__nvmem_layout_register);
+EXPORT_SYMBOL_GPL(nvmem_layout_register);
 
 void nvmem_layout_unregister(struct nvmem_layout *layout)
 {
-	blocking_notifier_call_chain(&nvmem_notifier, NVMEM_LAYOUT_REMOVE, layout);
-
-	spin_lock(&nvmem_layout_lock);
-	list_del(&layout->node);
-	spin_unlock(&nvmem_layout_lock);
+	/* Keep the API even with an empty stub in case we need it later */
 }
 EXPORT_SYMBOL_GPL(nvmem_layout_unregister);
 
-static struct nvmem_layout *nvmem_layout_get(struct nvmem_device *nvmem)
-{
-	struct device_node *layout_np;
-	struct nvmem_layout *l, *layout = ERR_PTR(-EPROBE_DEFER);
-
-	layout_np = of_nvmem_layout_get_container(nvmem);
-	if (!layout_np)
-		return NULL;
-
-	/*
-	 * In case the nvmem device was built-in while the layout was built as a
-	 * module, we shall manually request the layout driver loading otherwise
-	 * we'll never have any match.
-	 */
-	of_request_module(layout_np);
-
-	spin_lock(&nvmem_layout_lock);
-
-	list_for_each_entry(l, &nvmem_layouts, node) {
-		if (of_match_node(l->of_match_table, layout_np)) {
-			if (try_module_get(l->owner))
-				layout = l;
-
-			break;
-		}
-	}
-
-	spin_unlock(&nvmem_layout_lock);
-	of_node_put(layout_np);
-
-	return layout;
-}
-
-static void nvmem_layout_put(struct nvmem_layout *layout)
-{
-	if (layout)
-		module_put(layout->owner);
-}
-
-static int nvmem_add_cells_from_layout(struct nvmem_device *nvmem)
-{
-	struct nvmem_layout *layout = nvmem->layout;
-	int ret;
-
-	if (layout && layout->add_cells) {
-		ret = layout->add_cells(&nvmem->dev, nvmem, layout);
-		if (ret)
-			return ret;
-	}
-
-	return 0;
-}
-
-#if IS_ENABLED(CONFIG_OF)
-struct device_node *of_nvmem_layout_get_container(struct nvmem_device *nvmem)
-{
-	return of_get_child_by_name(nvmem->dev.of_node, "nvmem-layout");
-}
-EXPORT_SYMBOL_GPL(of_nvmem_layout_get_container);
-#endif
-
 const void *nvmem_layout_get_match_data(struct nvmem_device *nvmem,
 					struct nvmem_layout *layout)
 {
@@ -833,7 +761,7 @@ const void *nvmem_layout_get_match_data(struct nvmem_device *nvmem,
 	const struct of_device_id *match;
 
 	layout_np = of_nvmem_layout_get_container(nvmem);
-	match = of_match_node(layout->of_match_table, layout_np);
+	match = of_match_node(layout->dev.driver->of_match_table, layout_np);
 
 	return match ? match->data : NULL;
 }
@@ -944,19 +872,6 @@ struct nvmem_device *nvmem_register(const struct nvmem_config *config)
 			goto err_put_device;
 	}
 
-	/*
-	 * If the driver supplied a layout by config->layout, the module
-	 * pointer will be NULL and nvmem_layout_put() will be a noop.
-	 */
-	nvmem->layout = config->layout ?: nvmem_layout_get(nvmem);
-	if (IS_ERR(nvmem->layout)) {
-		rval = PTR_ERR(nvmem->layout);
-		nvmem->layout = NULL;
-
-		if (rval == -EPROBE_DEFER)
-			goto err_teardown_compat;
-	}
-
 	if (config->cells) {
 		rval = nvmem_add_cells(nvmem, config->cells, config->ncells);
 		if (rval)
@@ -975,7 +890,7 @@ struct nvmem_device *nvmem_register(const struct nvmem_config *config)
 	if (rval)
 		goto err_remove_cells;
 
-	rval = nvmem_add_cells_from_layout(nvmem);
+	rval = nvmem_populate_layout(nvmem);
 	if (rval)
 		goto err_remove_cells;
 
@@ -983,16 +898,17 @@ struct nvmem_device *nvmem_register(const struct nvmem_config *config)
 
 	rval = device_add(&nvmem->dev);
 	if (rval)
-		goto err_remove_cells;
+		goto err_destroy_layout;
+
 
 	blocking_notifier_call_chain(&nvmem_notifier, NVMEM_ADD, nvmem);
 
 	return nvmem;
 
+err_destroy_layout:
+	nvmem_destroy_layout(nvmem);
 err_remove_cells:
 	nvmem_device_remove_all_cells(nvmem);
-	nvmem_layout_put(nvmem->layout);
-err_teardown_compat:
 	if (config->compat)
 		nvmem_sysfs_remove_compat(nvmem, config);
 err_put_device:
@@ -1014,7 +930,7 @@ static void nvmem_device_release(struct kref *kref)
 		device_remove_bin_file(nvmem->base_dev, &nvmem->eeprom);
 
 	nvmem_device_remove_all_cells(nvmem);
-	nvmem_layout_put(nvmem->layout);
+	nvmem_destroy_layout(nvmem);
 	device_unregister(&nvmem->dev);
 }
 
@@ -1400,7 +1316,10 @@ struct nvmem_cell *of_nvmem_cell_get(struct device_node *np, const char *id)
 	of_node_put(cell_np);
 	if (!cell_entry) {
 		__nvmem_device_put(nvmem);
-		return ERR_PTR(-ENOENT);
+		if (nvmem->layout)
+			return ERR_PTR(-EAGAIN);
+		else
+			return ERR_PTR(-ENOENT);
 	}
 
 	cell = nvmem_create_cell(cell_entry, id, cell_index);
@@ -2096,11 +2015,22 @@ EXPORT_SYMBOL_GPL(nvmem_dev_name);
 
 static int __init nvmem_init(void)
 {
-	return bus_register(&nvmem_bus_type);
+	int ret;
+
+	ret = bus_register(&nvmem_bus_type);
+	if (ret)
+		return ret;
+
+	ret = nvmem_layout_bus_register();
+	if (ret)
+		bus_unregister(&nvmem_bus_type);
+
+	return ret;
 }
 
 static void __exit nvmem_exit(void)
 {
+	nvmem_layout_bus_unregister();
 	bus_unregister(&nvmem_bus_type);
 }
 
diff --git a/drivers/nvmem/internals.h b/drivers/nvmem/internals.h
index ce353831cd65..c669c96e9052 100644
--- a/drivers/nvmem/internals.h
+++ b/drivers/nvmem/internals.h
@@ -32,4 +32,25 @@ struct nvmem_device {
 	void *priv;
 };
 
+#if IS_ENABLED(CONFIG_OF)
+int nvmem_layout_bus_register(void);
+void nvmem_layout_bus_unregister(void);
+int nvmem_populate_layout(struct nvmem_device *nvmem);
+void nvmem_destroy_layout(struct nvmem_device *nvmem);
+#else /* CONFIG_OF */
+static inline int nvmem_layout_bus_register(void)
+{
+	return 0;
+}
+
+static inline void nvmem_layout_bus_unregister(void) {}
+
+static inline int nvmem_populate_layout(struct nvmem_device *nvmem)
+{
+	return 0;
+}
+
+static inline void nvmem_destroy_layout(struct nvmem_device *nvmem) { }
+#endif /* CONFIG_OF */
+
 #endif  /* ifndef _LINUX_NVMEM_INTERNALS_H */
diff --git a/drivers/nvmem/layouts.c b/drivers/nvmem/layouts.c
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..8c73a8a15dd5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/drivers/nvmem/layouts.c
@@ -0,0 +1,228 @@
+// SPDX-License-Identifier: GPL-2.0
+/*
+ * NVMEM layout bus handling
+ *
+ * Copyright (C) 2023 Bootlin
+ * Author: Miquel Raynal <miquel.raynal@bootlin.com
+ */
+
+#include <linux/device.h>
+#include <linux/dma-mapping.h>
+#include <linux/nvmem-consumer.h>
+#include <linux/nvmem-provider.h>
+#include <linux/of.h>
+#include <linux/of_device.h>
+#include <linux/of_irq.h>
+
+#include "internals.h"
+
+#if IS_ENABLED(CONFIG_OF)
+#define to_nvmem_layout_driver(drv) \
+	(container_of((drv), struct nvmem_layout_driver, driver))
+#define to_nvmem_layout_device(_dev) \
+	container_of((_dev), struct nvmem_layout, dev)
+
+static int nvmem_layout_bus_match(struct device *dev, struct device_driver *drv)
+{
+	return of_driver_match_device(dev, drv);
+}
+
+static int nvmem_layout_bus_probe(struct device *dev)
+{
+	struct nvmem_layout_driver *drv = to_nvmem_layout_driver(dev->driver);
+	struct nvmem_layout *layout = to_nvmem_layout_device(dev);
+
+	if (!drv->probe || !drv->remove)
+		return -EINVAL;
+
+	return drv->probe(layout);
+}
+
+static void nvmem_layout_bus_remove(struct device *dev)
+{
+	struct nvmem_layout_driver *drv = to_nvmem_layout_driver(dev->driver);
+	struct nvmem_layout *layout = to_nvmem_layout_device(dev);
+
+	return drv->remove(layout);
+}
+
+static struct bus_type nvmem_layout_bus_type = {
+	.name		= "nvmem-layout",
+	.match		= nvmem_layout_bus_match,
+	.probe		= nvmem_layout_bus_probe,
+	.remove		= nvmem_layout_bus_remove,
+};
+
+static struct device nvmem_layout_bus = {
+	.init_name	= "nvmem-layout",
+};
+
+int nvmem_layout_driver_register(struct nvmem_layout_driver *drv)
+{
+	drv->driver.bus = &nvmem_layout_bus_type;
+
+	return driver_register(&drv->driver);
+}
+EXPORT_SYMBOL_GPL(nvmem_layout_driver_register);
+
+void nvmem_layout_driver_unregister(struct nvmem_layout_driver *drv)
+{
+	driver_unregister(&drv->driver);
+}
+EXPORT_SYMBOL_GPL(nvmem_layout_driver_unregister);
+
+static void nvmem_layout_release_device(struct device *dev)
+{
+	struct nvmem_layout *layout = to_nvmem_layout_device(dev);
+
+	of_node_put(layout->dev.of_node);
+	kfree(layout);
+}
+
+static int nvmem_layout_create_device(struct nvmem_device *nvmem,
+				      struct device_node *np)
+{
+	struct nvmem_layout *layout;
+	struct device *dev;
+	int ret;
+
+	layout = kzalloc(sizeof(*dev), GFP_KERNEL);
+	if (!layout)
+		return -ENOMEM;
+
+	/* Create a bidirectional link */
+	layout->nvmem = nvmem;
+	nvmem->layout = layout;
+
+	/* Device model registration */
+	dev = &layout->dev;
+	device_initialize(dev);
+	dev->parent = &nvmem_layout_bus;
+	dev->bus = &nvmem_layout_bus_type;
+	dev->release = nvmem_layout_release_device;
+	dev->coherent_dma_mask = DMA_BIT_MASK(32);
+	dev->dma_mask = &dev->coherent_dma_mask;
+	device_set_node(dev, of_fwnode_handle(of_node_get(np)));
+	of_device_make_bus_id(dev);
+	of_msi_configure(dev, dev->of_node);
+
+	ret = device_add(dev);
+	if (ret) {
+		put_device(dev);
+		return ret;
+	}
+
+	return 0;
+}
+
+static const struct of_device_id of_nvmem_layout_skip_table[] = {
+	{ .compatible = "fixed-layout", },
+	{}
+};
+
+static int nvmem_layout_bus_populate(struct nvmem_device *nvmem,
+				     struct device_node *layout_dn)
+{
+	int ret;
+
+	/* Make sure it has a compatible property */
+	if (!of_get_property(layout_dn, "compatible", NULL)) {
+		pr_debug("%s() - skipping %pOF, no compatible prop\n",
+			 __func__, layout_dn);
+		return 0;
+	}
+
+	/* Fixed layouts are parsed manually somewhere else for now */
+	if (of_match_node(of_nvmem_layout_skip_table, layout_dn)) {
+		pr_debug("%s() - skipping %pOF node\n", __func__, layout_dn);
+		return 0;
+	}
+
+	if (of_node_check_flag(layout_dn, OF_POPULATED_BUS)) {
+		pr_debug("%s() - skipping %pOF, already populated\n",
+			 __func__, layout_dn);
+
+		return 0;
+	}
+
+	/* NVMEM layout buses expect only a single device representing the layout */
+	ret = nvmem_layout_create_device(nvmem, layout_dn);
+	if (ret)
+		return ret;
+
+	of_node_set_flag(layout_dn, OF_POPULATED_BUS);
+
+	return 0;
+}
+
+struct device_node *of_nvmem_layout_get_container(struct nvmem_device *nvmem)
+{
+	return of_get_child_by_name(nvmem->dev.of_node, "nvmem-layout");
+}
+EXPORT_SYMBOL_GPL(of_nvmem_layout_get_container);
+
+/*
+ * Returns the number of devices populated, 0 if the operation was not relevant
+ * for this nvmem device, an error code otherwise.
+ */
+int nvmem_populate_layout(struct nvmem_device *nvmem)
+{
+	struct device_node *nvmem_dn, *layout_dn;
+	int ret;
+
+	layout_dn = of_nvmem_layout_get_container(nvmem);
+	if (!layout_dn)
+		return 0;
+
+	nvmem_dn = of_node_get(nvmem->dev.of_node);
+	if (!nvmem_dn) {
+		of_node_put(layout_dn);
+		return 0;
+	}
+
+	/* Ensure the layout driver is loaded */
+	of_request_module(layout_dn);
+
+	/* Populate the layout device */
+	device_links_supplier_sync_state_pause();
+	ret = nvmem_layout_bus_populate(nvmem, layout_dn);
+	device_links_supplier_sync_state_resume();
+
+	of_node_put(nvmem_dn);
+	of_node_put(layout_dn);
+	return ret;
+}
+
+void nvmem_destroy_layout(struct nvmem_device *nvmem)
+{
+	struct device *dev = &nvmem->layout->dev;
+
+	of_node_clear_flag(dev->of_node, OF_POPULATED_BUS);
+	put_device(dev);
+}
+
+int nvmem_layout_bus_register(void)
+{
+	int ret;
+
+	ret = device_register(&nvmem_layout_bus);
+	if (ret) {
+		put_device(&nvmem_layout_bus);
+		return ret;
+	}
+
+	ret = bus_register(&nvmem_layout_bus_type);
+	if (ret) {
+		device_unregister(&nvmem_layout_bus);
+		return ret;
+	}
+
+	return 0;
+}
+
+void nvmem_layout_bus_unregister(void)
+{
+	bus_unregister(&nvmem_layout_bus_type);
+	device_unregister(&nvmem_layout_bus);
+}
+#endif
diff --git a/drivers/nvmem/layouts/onie-tlv.c b/drivers/nvmem/layouts/onie-tlv.c
index 59fc87ccfcff..8d19346b9206 100644
--- a/drivers/nvmem/layouts/onie-tlv.c
+++ b/drivers/nvmem/layouts/onie-tlv.c
@@ -226,16 +226,31 @@ static int onie_tlv_parse_table(struct device *dev, struct nvmem_device *nvmem,
 	return 0;
 }
 
+static int onie_tlv_probe(struct nvmem_layout *layout)
+{
+	layout->add_cells = onie_tlv_parse_table;
+
+	return nvmem_layout_register(layout);
+}
+
+static void onie_tlv_remove(struct nvmem_layout *layout)
+{
+	nvmem_layout_unregister(layout);
+}
+
 static const struct of_device_id onie_tlv_of_match_table[] = {
 	{ .compatible = "onie,tlv-layout", },
 	{},
 };
 MODULE_DEVICE_TABLE(of, onie_tlv_of_match_table);
 
-static struct nvmem_layout onie_tlv_layout = {
-	.name = "ONIE tlv layout",
-	.of_match_table = onie_tlv_of_match_table,
-	.add_cells = onie_tlv_parse_table,
+static struct nvmem_layout_driver onie_tlv_layout = {
+	.driver = {
+		.name = "onie-tlv-layout",
+		.of_match_table = onie_tlv_of_match_table,
+	},
+	.probe = onie_tlv_probe,
+	.remove = onie_tlv_remove,
 };
 module_nvmem_layout_driver(onie_tlv_layout);
 
diff --git a/drivers/nvmem/layouts/sl28vpd.c b/drivers/nvmem/layouts/sl28vpd.c
index 05671371f631..ab4ceaf1ea16 100644
--- a/drivers/nvmem/layouts/sl28vpd.c
+++ b/drivers/nvmem/layouts/sl28vpd.c
@@ -135,16 +135,31 @@ static int sl28vpd_add_cells(struct device *dev, struct nvmem_device *nvmem,
 	return 0;
 }
 
+static int sl28vpd_probe(struct nvmem_layout *layout)
+{
+	layout->add_cells = sl28vpd_add_cells;
+
+	return nvmem_layout_register(layout);
+}
+
+static void sl28vpd_remove(struct nvmem_layout *layout)
+{
+	nvmem_layout_unregister(layout);
+}
+
 static const struct of_device_id sl28vpd_of_match_table[] = {
 	{ .compatible = "kontron,sl28-vpd" },
 	{},
 };
 MODULE_DEVICE_TABLE(of, sl28vpd_of_match_table);
 
-static struct nvmem_layout sl28vpd_layout = {
-	.name = "sl28-vpd",
-	.of_match_table = sl28vpd_of_match_table,
-	.add_cells = sl28vpd_add_cells,
+static struct nvmem_layout_driver sl28vpd_layout = {
+	.driver = {
+		.name = "kontron-sl28vpd-layout",
+		.of_match_table = sl28vpd_of_match_table,
+	},
+	.probe = sl28vpd_probe,
+	.remove = sl28vpd_remove,
 };
 module_nvmem_layout_driver(sl28vpd_layout);
 
diff --git a/include/linux/nvmem-provider.h b/include/linux/nvmem-provider.h
index 2905f9e6fc2a..a0ea8326605a 100644
--- a/include/linux/nvmem-provider.h
+++ b/include/linux/nvmem-provider.h
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@
 #ifndef _LINUX_NVMEM_PROVIDER_H
 #define _LINUX_NVMEM_PROVIDER_H
 
+#include <linux/device.h>
 #include <linux/device/driver.h>
 #include <linux/err.h>
 #include <linux/errno.h>
@@ -154,15 +155,13 @@ struct nvmem_cell_table {
 /**
  * struct nvmem_layout - NVMEM layout definitions
  *
- * @name:		Layout name.
- * @of_match_table:	Open firmware match table.
+ * @dev:		Device-model layout device.
+ * @nvmem:		The underlying NVMEM device
  * @add_cells:		Will be called if a nvmem device is found which
  *			has this layout. The function will add layout
  *			specific cells with nvmem_add_one_cell().
  * @fixup_cell_info:	Will be called before a cell is added. Can be
  *			used to modify the nvmem_cell_info.
- * @owner:		Pointer to struct module.
- * @node:		List node.
  *
  * A nvmem device can hold a well defined structure which can just be
  * evaluated during runtime. For example a TLV list, or a list of "name=val"
@@ -170,17 +169,19 @@ struct nvmem_cell_table {
  * cells.
  */
 struct nvmem_layout {
-	const char *name;
-	const struct of_device_id *of_match_table;
+	struct device dev;
+	struct nvmem_device *nvmem;
 	int (*add_cells)(struct device *dev, struct nvmem_device *nvmem,
 			 struct nvmem_layout *layout);
 	void (*fixup_cell_info)(struct nvmem_device *nvmem,
 				struct nvmem_layout *layout,
 				struct nvmem_cell_info *cell);
+};
 
-	/* private */
-	struct module *owner;
-	struct list_head node;
+struct nvmem_layout_driver {
+	struct device_driver driver;
+	int (*probe)(struct nvmem_layout *layout);
+	void (*remove)(struct nvmem_layout *layout);
 };
 
 #if IS_ENABLED(CONFIG_NVMEM)
@@ -197,11 +198,15 @@ void nvmem_del_cell_table(struct nvmem_cell_table *table);
 int nvmem_add_one_cell(struct nvmem_device *nvmem,
 		       const struct nvmem_cell_info *info);
 
-int __nvmem_layout_register(struct nvmem_layout *layout, struct module *owner);
-#define nvmem_layout_register(layout) \
-	__nvmem_layout_register(layout, THIS_MODULE)
+int nvmem_layout_register(struct nvmem_layout *layout);
 void nvmem_layout_unregister(struct nvmem_layout *layout);
 
+int nvmem_layout_driver_register(struct nvmem_layout_driver *drv);
+void nvmem_layout_driver_unregister(struct nvmem_layout_driver *drv);
+#define module_nvmem_layout_driver(__nvmem_layout_driver)		\
+	module_driver(__nvmem_layout_driver, nvmem_layout_driver_register, \
+		      nvmem_layout_driver_unregister)
+
 const void *nvmem_layout_get_match_data(struct nvmem_device *nvmem,
 					struct nvmem_layout *layout);
 
@@ -257,9 +262,4 @@ static inline struct device_node *of_nvmem_layout_get_container(struct nvmem_dev
 	return NULL;
 }
 #endif /* CONFIG_NVMEM */
-
-#define module_nvmem_layout_driver(__layout_driver)		\
-	module_driver(__layout_driver, nvmem_layout_register,	\
-		      nvmem_layout_unregister)
-
 #endif  /* ifndef _LINUX_NVMEM_PROVIDER_H */
