diff --git a/bindings/rust/libgpiod/examples/gpio_events.rs b/bindings/rust/libgpiod/examples/gpio_events.rs
index 04267d9..cbdf1b5 100644
--- a/bindings/rust/libgpiod/examples/gpio_events.rs
+++ b/bindings/rust/libgpiod/examples/gpio_events.rs
@@ -42,7 +42,7 @@ fn main() -> Result<()> {
     let rconfig = request::Config::new()?;
 
     let mut buffer = request::Buffer::new(1)?;
-    let request = chip.request_lines(&rconfig, &lconfig)?;
+    let request = chip.request_lines(Some(&rconfig), &lconfig)?;
 
     loop {
         match request.wait_edge_events(None) {
diff --git a/bindings/rust/libgpiod/examples/gpio_threaded_info_events.rs b/bindings/rust/libgpiod/examples/gpio_threaded_info_events.rs
index e17f0f0..367b2f6 100644
--- a/bindings/rust/libgpiod/examples/gpio_threaded_info_events.rs
+++ b/bindings/rust/libgpiod/examples/gpio_threaded_info_events.rs
@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@ fn request_reconfigure_line(
         let request = chip
             .lock()
             .unwrap()
-            .request_lines(&rconfig, &lconfig)
+            .request_lines(Some(&rconfig), &lconfig)
             .unwrap();
 
         // Signal the parent to continue
diff --git a/bindings/rust/libgpiod/examples/gpioget.rs b/bindings/rust/libgpiod/examples/gpioget.rs
index 6e60833..74baf30 100644
--- a/bindings/rust/libgpiod/examples/gpioget.rs
+++ b/bindings/rust/libgpiod/examples/gpioget.rs
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@ fn main() -> Result<()> {
     let rconfig = request::Config::new()?;
     rconfig.set_consumer(&args[0])?;
 
-    let request = chip.request_lines(&rconfig, &lconfig)?;
+    let request = chip.request_lines(Some(&rconfig), &lconfig)?;
     let map = request.values()?;
 
     println!("{:?}", map);
diff --git a/bindings/rust/libgpiod/examples/gpiomon.rs b/bindings/rust/libgpiod/examples/gpiomon.rs
index f17a81f..a09ddfc 100644
--- a/bindings/rust/libgpiod/examples/gpiomon.rs
+++ b/bindings/rust/libgpiod/examples/gpiomon.rs
@@ -41,7 +41,7 @@ fn main() -> Result<()> {
     let rconfig = request::Config::new()?;
 
     let mut buffer = request::Buffer::new(1)?;
-    let request = chip.request_lines(&rconfig, &lconfig)?;
+    let request = chip.request_lines(Some(&rconfig), &lconfig)?;
 
     loop {
         match request.wait_edge_events(None) {
diff --git a/bindings/rust/libgpiod/examples/gpioset.rs b/bindings/rust/libgpiod/examples/gpioset.rs
index 875a3ad..6247996 100644
--- a/bindings/rust/libgpiod/examples/gpioset.rs
+++ b/bindings/rust/libgpiod/examples/gpioset.rs
@@ -54,7 +54,7 @@ fn main() -> Result<()> {
     let rconfig = request::Config::new()?;
     rconfig.set_consumer(&args[0])?;
 
-    chip.request_lines(&rconfig, &lconfig)?;
+    chip.request_lines(Some(&rconfig), &lconfig)?;
 
     // Wait for keypress, let user verify line status.
     stdin().read_exact(&mut [0u8]).unwrap();
diff --git a/bindings/rust/libgpiod/src/chip.rs b/bindings/rust/libgpiod/src/chip.rs
index 91b4c94..9c3c2b4 100644
--- a/bindings/rust/libgpiod/src/chip.rs
+++ b/bindings/rust/libgpiod/src/chip.rs
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@ use std::cmp::Ordering;
 use std::ffi::{CStr, CString};
 use std::os::{raw::c_char, unix::prelude::AsRawFd};
 use std::path::Path;
+use std::ptr;
 use std::str;
 use std::sync::Arc;
 use std::time::Duration;
@@ -195,13 +196,18 @@ impl Chip {
     /// Request a set of lines for exclusive usage.
     pub fn request_lines(
         &self,
-        rconfig: &request::Config,
+        rconfig: Option<&request::Config>,
         lconfig: &line::Config,
     ) -> Result<request::Request> {
+        let req_cfg = match rconfig {
+            Some(cfg) => cfg.config,
+            _ => ptr::null(),
+        } as *mut gpiod::gpiod_request_config;
+
         // SAFETY: The `gpiod_line_request` returned by libgpiod is guaranteed to live as long
         // as the `struct Request`.
         let request = unsafe {
-            gpiod::gpiod_chip_request_lines(self.ichip.chip, rconfig.config, lconfig.config)
+            gpiod::gpiod_chip_request_lines(self.ichip.chip, req_cfg, lconfig.config)
         };
 
         if request.is_null() {
diff --git a/bindings/rust/libgpiod/tests/common/config.rs b/bindings/rust/libgpiod/tests/common/config.rs
index 842a70a..b838b66 100644
--- a/bindings/rust/libgpiod/tests/common/config.rs
+++ b/bindings/rust/libgpiod/tests/common/config.rs
@@ -106,7 +106,7 @@ impl TestConfig {
     pub(crate) fn request_lines(&mut self) -> Result<()> {
         let chip = Chip::open(&self.sim.lock().unwrap().dev_path())?;
 
-        self.request = Some(chip.request_lines(&self.rconfig, &self.lconfig)?);
+        self.request = Some(chip.request_lines(Some(&self.rconfig), &self.lconfig)?);
         self.chip = Some(chip);
 
         Ok(())
diff --git a/bindings/rust/libgpiod/tests/info_event.rs b/bindings/rust/libgpiod/tests/info_event.rs
index bfa0058..6bf7a0f 100644
--- a/bindings/rust/libgpiod/tests/info_event.rs
+++ b/bindings/rust/libgpiod/tests/info_event.rs
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ mod info_event {
             let request = chip
                 .lock()
                 .unwrap()
-                .request_lines(&rconfig, &lconfig1)
+                .request_lines(Some(&rconfig), &lconfig1)
                 .unwrap();
 
             // Signal the parent to continue
