diff --git a/kernel.spec b/kernel.spec
index 014bce730..6da868501 100644
--- a/kernel.spec
+++ b/kernel.spec
@@ -42,7 +42,7 @@ Summary: The Linux kernel
 # When changing real_sublevel below, reset this by hand to 1
 # (or to 0 and then use rpmdev-bumpspec).
 #
-%global baserelease 3
+%global baserelease 4
 %global fedora_build %{baserelease}
 
 # real_sublevel is the 3.x kernel version we're starting with
@@ -721,6 +721,9 @@ Patch21102: ACPICA-Fix-regression-in-FADT-revision-checks.patch
 # rhbz 798296
 Patch21103: cifs-fix-dentry-refcount-leak-when-opening-a-FIFO.patch
 
+#rhbz 728478
+Patch21104: sony-laptop-Enable-keyboard-backlight-by-default.patch
+
 %endif
 
 BuildRoot: %{_tmppath}/kernel-%{KVERREL}-root
@@ -1333,6 +1336,9 @@ ApplyPatch ACPICA-Fix-regression-in-FADT-revision-checks.patch
 # rhbz 798296
 ApplyPatch cifs-fix-dentry-refcount-leak-when-opening-a-FIFO.patch
 
+#rhbz 728478
+ApplyPatch sony-laptop-Enable-keyboard-backlight-by-default.patch
+
 # END OF PATCH APPLICATIONS
 
 %endif
@@ -1980,6 +1986,9 @@ fi
 # and build.
 
 %changelog
+* Tue Feb 28 2012 Josh Boyer <jwboyer@redhat.com>
+- Add patch to enable keyboard backlight on Sony laptops (rhbz 728478)
+
 * Tue Feb 28 2012 Justin M. Forbes <jforbes@redhat.com> 2.6.42.7-3
 - CVE-2012-1090 CIFS: fix dentry refcount leak when opening a FIFO on lookup (rhbz 798296)
 
diff --git a/sony-laptop-Enable-keyboard-backlight-by-default.patch b/sony-laptop-Enable-keyboard-backlight-by-default.patch
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..c993fd86d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/sony-laptop-Enable-keyboard-backlight-by-default.patch
@@ -0,0 +1,44 @@
+From 0dbc2bc96b1ec741bdd43451c286ccd45da3310b Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
+From: Josh Boyer <jwboyer@redhat.com>
+Date: Wed, 2 Nov 2011 14:31:59 -0400
+Subject: [PATCH] sony-laptop: Enable keyboard backlight by default
+
+When the keyboard backlight support was originally added, the commit said
+to default it to on with a 10 second timeout.  That actually wasn't the
+case, as the default value is commented out for the kbd_backlight parameter.
+Because it is a static variable, it gets set to 0 by default without some
+other form of initialization.
+
+However, it seems the function to set the value wasn't actually called
+immediately, so whatever state the keyboard was in initially would remain.
+Then commit df410d522410e67660 was introduced during the 2.6.39 timeframe to
+immediately set whatever value was present (as well as attempt to
+restore/reset the state on module removal or resume).  That seems to have
+now forced the light off immediately when the module is loaded unless
+the option kbd_backlight=1 is specified.
+
+Let's enable it by default again (for the first time).  This should solve
+https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=728478
+
+Acked-by: Mattia Dongili <malattia@linux.it>
+Signed-off-by: Josh Boyer <jwboyer@redhat.com>
+---
+ drivers/platform/x86/sony-laptop.c |    2 +-
+ 1 files changed, 1 insertions(+), 1 deletions(-)
+
+diff --git a/drivers/platform/x86/sony-laptop.c b/drivers/platform/x86/sony-laptop.c
+index c006dee..40c4705 100644
+--- a/drivers/platform/x86/sony-laptop.c
++++ b/drivers/platform/x86/sony-laptop.c
+@@ -127,7 +127,7 @@ MODULE_PARM_DESC(minor,
+ 		 "default is -1 (automatic)");
+ #endif
+ 
+-static int kbd_backlight;	/* = 1 */
++static int kbd_backlight = 1;
+ module_param(kbd_backlight, int, 0444);
+ MODULE_PARM_DESC(kbd_backlight,
+ 		 "set this to 0 to disable keyboard backlight, "
+-- 
+1.7.7.6
+