diff --git a/sys/sys/module.h b/sys/sys/module.h
--- a/sys/sys/module.h
+++ b/sys/sys/module.h
@@ -153,11 +153,35 @@
 #endif
 
 /*
- * The module declared with DECLARE_MODULE_TIED can only be loaded
+ * Modules declared with DECLARE_MODULE_RELENG can only be loaded into
+ * a kernel built on the same releng/X.Y branch.  This is useful for
+ * modules that use kernel interfaces that are not stable on stable/X
+ * branches but are stable on release branches.
+ *
+ * Note that releng/X.Y versions have values 0..499 in the low three
+ * digits and stable/X versions have 500..999 in the low three digits.
+ * This macro requires an exact match like DECLARE_MODULE_TIED for
+ * stable/X but permits loading on newer kernels on the same
+ * releng/X.Y branch.
+ *
+ * This isn't quite right for main prior to X.0 whose low three digits
+ * also fall in the 0..499 range.
+ */
+#define	MODULE_KERNEL_RELENG_MAXVER					\
+	((__FreeBSD_version % 1000 <= 500) ?				\
+	    (roundup(__FreeBSD_version, 500) - 1) :			\
+	    __FreeBSD_version)
+
+#define	DECLARE_MODULE_RELENG(name, data, sub, order)			\
+	DECLARE_MODULE_WITH_MAXVER(name, data, sub, order,		\
+	    MODULE_KERNEL_RELENG_MAXVER)
+
+/*
+ * Modules declared with DECLARE_MODULE_TIED can only be loaded
  * into the kernel with exactly the same __FreeBSD_version.
  *
  * Use it for modules that use kernel interfaces that are not stable
- * even on STABLE/X branches.
+ * even on stable/X branches.
  */
 #define	DECLARE_MODULE_TIED(name, data, sub, order)			\
 	DECLARE_MODULE_WITH_MAXVER(name, data, sub, order, __FreeBSD_version)