--- a/drivers/cpuidle/governors/ladder.c	
+++ a/drivers/cpuidle/governors/ladder.c	
@@ -192,4 +192,14 @@ static int __init init_ladder(void)
 	return cpuidle_register_governor(&ladder_governor);
 }
 
-postcore_initcall(init_ladder);
+/**
+ * exit_ladder - exits the governor
+ */
+static void __exit exit_ladder(void)
+{
+	cpuidle_unregister_governor(&ladder_governor);
+}
+
+MODULE_LICENSE("GPL");
+module_init(init_ladder);
+module_exit(exit_ladder);
--- a/drivers/cpuidle/governors/menu.c	
+++ a/drivers/cpuidle/governors/menu.c	
@@ -540,4 +540,14 @@ static int __init init_menu(void)
 	return cpuidle_register_governor(&menu_governor);
 }
 
-postcore_initcall(init_menu);
+/**
+ * exit_menu - exits the governor
+ */
+static void __exit exit_menu(void)
+{
+	cpuidle_unregister_governor(&menu_governor);
+}
+
+MODULE_LICENSE("GPL");
+module_init(init_menu);
+module_exit(exit_menu);
--- a/Documentation/cpuidle/governor.txt	
+++ a/Documentation/cpuidle/governor.txt	
@@ -25,4 +25,5 @@ kernel configuration and platform will be selected by cpuidle.
 
 Interfaces:
 extern int cpuidle_register_governor(struct cpuidle_governor *gov);
+extern void cpuidle_unregister_governor(struct cpuidle_governor *gov);
 struct cpuidle_governor
--- a/drivers/cpuidle/governor.c	
+++ a/drivers/cpuidle/governor.c	
@@ -96,3 +96,46 @@ int cpuidle_register_governor(struct cpuidle_governor *gov)
 
 	return ret;
 }
+
+/**
+ * cpuidle_replace_governor - find a replacement governor
+ * @exclude_rating: the rating that will be skipped while looking for
+ * new governor.
+ */
+static struct cpuidle_governor *cpuidle_replace_governor(int exclude_rating)
+{
+	struct cpuidle_governor *gov;
+	struct cpuidle_governor *ret_gov = NULL;
+	unsigned int max_rating = 0;
+
+	list_for_each_entry(gov, &cpuidle_governors, governor_list) {
+		if (gov->rating == exclude_rating)
+			continue;
+		if (gov->rating > max_rating) {
+			max_rating = gov->rating;
+			ret_gov = gov;
+		}
+	}
+
+	return ret_gov;
+}
+
+/**
+ * cpuidle_unregister_governor - unregisters a governor
+ * @gov: the governor
+ */
+void cpuidle_unregister_governor(struct cpuidle_governor *gov)
+{
+	if (!gov)
+		return;
+
+	mutex_lock(&cpuidle_lock);
+	if (gov == cpuidle_curr_governor) {
+		struct cpuidle_governor *new_gov;
+		new_gov = cpuidle_replace_governor(gov->rating);
+		cpuidle_switch_governor(new_gov);
+	}
+	list_del(&gov->governor_list);
+	mutex_unlock(&cpuidle_lock);
+}
+
--- a/include/linux/cpuidle.h	
+++ a/include/linux/cpuidle.h	
@@ -195,10 +195,16 @@ struct cpuidle_governor {
 };
 
 #ifdef CONFIG_CPU_IDLE
+
 extern int cpuidle_register_governor(struct cpuidle_governor *gov);
+extern void cpuidle_unregister_governor(struct cpuidle_governor *gov);
+
 #else
+
 static inline int cpuidle_register_governor(struct cpuidle_governor *gov)
 {return 0;}
+static inline void cpuidle_unregister_governor(struct cpuidle_governor *gov) { }
+
 #endif
 
 #ifdef CONFIG_ARCH_HAS_CPU_RELAX