diff --git a/drivers/iio/industrialio-buffer.c b/drivers/iio/industrialio-buffer.c
index e6fa1a4e135d..a585c304cad4 100644
--- a/drivers/iio/industrialio-buffer.c
+++ b/drivers/iio/industrialio-buffer.c
@@ -591,7 +591,7 @@ static void iio_buffer_activate(struct iio_dev *indio_dev,
 	struct iio_buffer *buffer)
 {
 	iio_buffer_get(buffer);
-	list_add(&buffer->buffer_list, &indio_dev->buffer_list);
+	list_add(&buffer->buffer_list, &indio_dev->active_buffers);
 }
 
 static void iio_buffer_deactivate(struct iio_buffer *buffer)
@@ -606,7 +606,7 @@ static void iio_buffer_deactivate_all(struct iio_dev *indio_dev)
 	struct iio_buffer *buffer, *_buffer;
 
 	list_for_each_entry_safe(buffer, _buffer,
-			&indio_dev->buffer_list, buffer_list)
+			&indio_dev->active_buffers, buffer_list)
 		iio_buffer_deactivate(buffer);
 }
 
@@ -701,12 +701,12 @@ static int iio_verify_update(struct iio_dev *indio_dev,
 	 * to verify.
 	 */
 	if (remove_buffer && !insert_buffer &&
-		list_is_singular(&indio_dev->buffer_list))
+		list_is_singular(&indio_dev->active_buffers))
 			return 0;
 
 	modes = indio_dev->modes;
 
-	list_for_each_entry(buffer, &indio_dev->buffer_list, buffer_list) {
+	list_for_each_entry(buffer, &indio_dev->active_buffers, buffer_list) {
 		if (buffer == remove_buffer)
 			continue;
 		modes &= buffer->access->modes;
@@ -727,7 +727,7 @@ static int iio_verify_update(struct iio_dev *indio_dev,
 		 * Keep things simple for now and only allow a single buffer to
 		 * be connected in hardware mode.
 		 */
-		if (insert_buffer && !list_empty(&indio_dev->buffer_list))
+		if (insert_buffer && !list_empty(&indio_dev->active_buffers))
 			return -EINVAL;
 		config->mode = INDIO_BUFFER_HARDWARE;
 		strict_scanmask = true;
@@ -747,7 +747,7 @@ static int iio_verify_update(struct iio_dev *indio_dev,
 
 	scan_timestamp = false;
 
-	list_for_each_entry(buffer, &indio_dev->buffer_list, buffer_list) {
+	list_for_each_entry(buffer, &indio_dev->active_buffers, buffer_list) {
 		if (buffer == remove_buffer)
 			continue;
 		bitmap_or(compound_mask, compound_mask, buffer->scan_mask,
@@ -896,7 +896,7 @@ static int iio_update_demux(struct iio_dev *indio_dev)
 	struct iio_buffer *buffer;
 	int ret;
 
-	list_for_each_entry(buffer, &indio_dev->buffer_list, buffer_list) {
+	list_for_each_entry(buffer, &indio_dev->active_buffers, buffer_list) {
 		ret = iio_buffer_update_demux(indio_dev, buffer);
 		if (ret < 0)
 			goto error_clear_mux_table;
@@ -904,7 +904,7 @@ static int iio_update_demux(struct iio_dev *indio_dev)
 	return 0;
 
 error_clear_mux_table:
-	list_for_each_entry(buffer, &indio_dev->buffer_list, buffer_list)
+	list_for_each_entry(buffer, &indio_dev->active_buffers, buffer_list)
 		iio_buffer_demux_free(buffer);
 
 	return ret;
@@ -948,7 +948,7 @@ static int iio_enable_buffers(struct iio_dev *indio_dev,
 		indio_dev->info->hwfifo_set_watermark(indio_dev,
 			config->watermark);
 
-	list_for_each_entry(buffer, &indio_dev->buffer_list, buffer_list) {
+	list_for_each_entry(buffer, &indio_dev->active_buffers, buffer_list) {
 		ret = iio_buffer_enable(buffer, indio_dev);
 		if (ret)
 			goto err_disable_buffers;
@@ -968,7 +968,7 @@ static int iio_enable_buffers(struct iio_dev *indio_dev,
 	return 0;
 
 err_disable_buffers:
-	list_for_each_entry_continue_reverse(buffer, &indio_dev->buffer_list,
+	list_for_each_entry_continue_reverse(buffer, &indio_dev->active_buffers,
 					     buffer_list)
 		iio_buffer_disable(buffer, indio_dev);
 err_run_postdisable:
@@ -988,7 +988,7 @@ static int iio_disable_buffers(struct iio_dev *indio_dev)
 	int ret2;
 
 	/* Wind down existing buffers - iff there are any */
-	if (list_empty(&indio_dev->buffer_list))
+	if (list_empty(&indio_dev->active_buffers))
 		return 0;
 
 	/*
@@ -1004,7 +1004,7 @@ static int iio_disable_buffers(struct iio_dev *indio_dev)
 			ret = ret2;
 	}
 
-	list_for_each_entry(buffer, &indio_dev->buffer_list, buffer_list) {
+	list_for_each_entry(buffer, &indio_dev->active_buffers, buffer_list) {
 		ret2 = iio_buffer_disable(buffer, indio_dev);
 		if (ret2 && !ret)
 			ret = ret2;
@@ -1052,7 +1052,7 @@ static int __iio_update_buffers(struct iio_dev *indio_dev,
 		iio_buffer_activate(indio_dev, insert_buffer);
 
 	/* If no buffers in list, we are done */
-	if (list_empty(&indio_dev->buffer_list))
+	if (list_empty(&indio_dev->active_buffers))
 		return 0;
 
 	ret = iio_enable_buffers(indio_dev, &new_config);
@@ -1413,7 +1413,7 @@ int iio_push_to_buffers(struct iio_dev *indio_dev, const void *data)
 	int ret;
 	struct iio_buffer *buf;
 
-	list_for_each_entry(buf, &indio_dev->buffer_list, buffer_list) {
+	list_for_each_entry(buf, &indio_dev->active_buffers, buffer_list) {
 		ret = iio_push_to_buffer(buf, data);
 		if (ret < 0)
 			return ret;
diff --git a/drivers/iio/industrialio-core.c b/drivers/iio/industrialio-core.c
index 157d95a24faa..a13957644c1d 100644
--- a/drivers/iio/industrialio-core.c
+++ b/drivers/iio/industrialio-core.c
@@ -1523,7 +1523,7 @@ struct iio_dev *iio_device_alloc(int sizeof_priv)
 			return NULL;
 		}
 		dev_set_name(&dev->dev, "iio:device%d", dev->id);
-		INIT_LIST_HEAD(&dev->buffer_list);
+		INIT_LIST_HEAD(&dev->active_buffers);
 	}
 
 	return dev;
diff --git a/include/linux/iio/iio.h b/include/linux/iio/iio.h
index e975020abaa6..a123f8acb192 100644
--- a/include/linux/iio/iio.h
+++ b/include/linux/iio/iio.h
@@ -490,7 +490,7 @@ struct iio_buffer_setup_ops {
  *			and owner
  * @event_interface:	[INTERN] event chrdevs associated with interrupt lines
  * @buffer:		[DRIVER] any buffer present
- * @buffer_list:	[INTERN] list of all buffers currently attached
+ * @active_buffers:	[INTERN] list of all buffers currently enabled/active
  * @scan_bytes:		[INTERN] num bytes captured to be fed to buffer demux
  * @mlock:		[INTERN] lock used to prevent simultaneous device state
  *			changes
@@ -534,7 +534,7 @@ struct iio_dev {
 	struct iio_event_interface	*event_interface;
 
 	struct iio_buffer		*buffer;
-	struct list_head		buffer_list;
+	struct list_head		active_buffers;
 	int				scan_bytes;
 	struct mutex			mlock;
 
