diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index f4503e7..fd9acb7 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -1058,6 +1058,25 @@ if test "x$XORG" = xyes -o "x$XGL" = xye
 		  *)
 			;;
 		esac
+
+		# check whether struct kbd_repeat has the 'period' field.
+		# on kernels < 2.5.42 it's called 'rate' instead.
+		AC_TRY_COMPILE([
+#include <linux/kd.h>
+#ifdef __sparc__
+#include <asm/param.h>
+#include <asm/kbio.h>
+#endif
+],[
+int main () { 
+	struct kbd_repeat k;
+	k.period = 0;
+	return 0;
+}],
+		[period_field="period"],
+		[period_field="rate"])
+		AC_DEFINE_UNQUOTED(LNX_KBD_PERIOD_NAME, [$period_field],
+		                   [Name of the period field in struct kbd_repeat])
 		;;
 	  freebsd* | kfreebsd*-gnu)
 	  	XORG_OS="freebsd"
diff --git a/hw/xfree86/os-support/linux/lnx_io.c b/hw/xfree86/os-support/linux/lnx_io.c
index 32f6601..eb8cd53 100644
--- a/hw/xfree86/os-support/linux/lnx_io.c
+++ b/hw/xfree86/os-support/linux/lnx_io.c
@@ -67,25 +67,6 @@ xf86GetKbdLeds()
 	return(leds);
 }
 
-/* kbd rate stuff based on kbdrate.c from Rik Faith <faith@cs.unc.edu> et.al.
- * from util-linux-2.9t package */
-
-#include <linux/kd.h>
-#include <linux/version.h>
-#ifdef __sparc__
-#include <asm/param.h>
-#include <asm/kbio.h>
-#endif
-
-/* Deal with spurious kernel header change in struct kbd_repeat.
-   We undo this define after the routine using that struct is over,
-   so as not to interfere with other 'rate' elements.  */
-#if defined(LINUX_VERSION_CODE) && defined(KERNEL_VERSION)
-# if LINUX_VERSION_CODE >= KERNEL_VERSION(2,5,42)
-#  define rate period
-# endif
-#endif
-
 static int
 KDKBDREP_ioctl_ok(int rate, int delay) {
 #if defined(KDKBDREP) && !defined(__sparc__)
@@ -94,18 +75,18 @@ #if defined(KDKBDREP) && !defined(__spar
    struct kbd_repeat kbdrep_s;
 
    /* don't change, just test */
-   kbdrep_s.rate = -1;
+   kbdrep_s.LNX_KBD_PERIOD_NAME = -1;
    kbdrep_s.delay = -1;
    if (ioctl( xf86Info.consoleFd, KDKBDREP, &kbdrep_s )) {
        return 0;
    }
    /* do the change */
    if (rate == 0)				/* switch repeat off */
-     kbdrep_s.rate = 0;
+     kbdrep_s.LNX_KBD_PERIOD_NAME = 0;
    else
-     kbdrep_s.rate  = 10000 / rate;		/* convert cps to msec */
-   if (kbdrep_s.rate < 1)
-     kbdrep_s.rate = 1;
+     kbdrep_s.LNX_KBD_PERIOD_NAME = 10000 / rate; /* convert cps to msec */
+   if (kbdrep_s.LNX_KBD_PERIOD_NAME < 1)
+     kbdrep_s.LNX_KBD_PERIOD_NAME = 1;
    kbdrep_s.delay = delay;
    if (kbdrep_s.delay < 1)
      kbdrep_s.delay = 1;
@@ -120,15 +101,6 @@ #else /* no KDKBDREP */
 #endif /* KDKBDREP */
 }
 
-#undef rate
-
-/* Undo the earlier define for the struct kbd_repeat problem. */
-#if defined(LINUX_VERSION_CODE) && defined(KERNEL_VERSION)
-# if LINUX_VERSION_CODE >= KERNEL_VERSION(2,5,42)
-#  undef rate
-# endif
-#endif
-
 static int
 KIOCSRATE_ioctl_ok(int rate, int delay) {
 #ifdef KIOCSRATE
diff --git a/include/xorg-config.h.in b/include/xorg-config.h.in
index a5074f6..e43d1d1 100644
--- a/include/xorg-config.h.in
+++ b/include/xorg-config.h.in
@@ -106,4 +106,7 @@ #undef HAS_APERTURE_DRV
 /* Has backtrace support */
 #undef HAVE_BACKTRACE
 
+/* Name of the period field in struct kbd_repeat */
+#undef LNX_KBD_PERIOD_NAME
+
 #endif /* _XORG_CONFIG_H_ */