diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
index 6bbb5ebc..399c98b0 100644
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -136,6 +136,13 @@ if(DEFINED RF24_SPI_SPEED)
         RF24_SPI_SPEED=${RF24_SPI_SPEED}
     )
 endif()
+# allow user customization of default GPIO chip used with the SPIDEV driver
+if(DEFINED RF24_SPIDEV_GPIO_CHIP)
+    message(STATUS "RF24_SPIDEV_GPIO_CHIP set to ${RF24_SPIDEV_GPIO_CHIP}")
+    target_compile_definitions(${LibTargetName} PUBLIC
+        RF24_SPIDEV_GPIO_CHIP="${RF24_SPIDEV_GPIO_CHIP}"
+    )
+endif()
 # conditionally disable interruot support (a pigpio specific feature)
 if("${LibPIGPIO}" STREQUAL "LibPIGPIO-NOTFOUND" OR DEFINED RF24_NO_INTERRUPT)
     message(STATUS "Disabling IRQ pin support")
diff --git a/utility/SPIDEV/RF24_arch_config.h b/utility/SPIDEV/RF24_arch_config.h
index fa457fde..219bc051 100644
--- a/utility/SPIDEV/RF24_arch_config.h
+++ b/utility/SPIDEV/RF24_arch_config.h
@@ -44,8 +44,6 @@
 #endif
 
 typedef uint16_t prog_uint16_t;
-typedef uint16_t rf24_gpio_pin_t;
-#define RF24_PIN_INVALID 0xFFFF
 
 #define PSTR(x)  (x)
 #define printf_P printf
diff --git a/utility/SPIDEV/gpio.cpp b/utility/SPIDEV/gpio.cpp
index 9f24a74e..f27e2c9b 100644
--- a/utility/SPIDEV/gpio.cpp
+++ b/utility/SPIDEV/gpio.cpp
@@ -6,97 +6,174 @@
  *
  */
 #include <linux/gpio.h>
-#include "gpio.h"
 #include <unistd.h>    // close()
 #include <fcntl.h>     // open()
 #include <sys/ioctl.h> // ioctl()
+#include <errno.h>     // errno, strerror()
+#include <string.h>    // std::string, strcpy()
+#include <map>
+#include "gpio.h"
 
-const char* dev_name = "/dev/gpiochip4";
+// instantiate some global structs to setup cache
+// doing this globally ensures the data struct is zero-ed out
+typedef int gpio_fd; // for readability
+std::map<rf24_gpio_pin_t, gpio_fd> cachedPins;
+struct gpio_v2_line_request request;
+struct gpio_v2_line_values data;
+struct gpiochip_info chipMeta;
 
-GPIO::GPIO()
+void GPIOChipCache::openDevice()
 {
+    if (fd < 0) {
+        fd = open(chip, O_RDONLY);
+        if (fd < 0) {
+            std::string msg = "Can't open device ";
+            msg += chip;
+            msg += "; ";
+            msg += strerror(errno);
+            throw GPIOException(msg);
+        }
+    }
 }
 
-GPIO::~GPIO()
+void GPIOChipCache::closeDevice()
 {
+    if (fd >= 0) {
+        close(fd);
+        fd = -1;
+    }
 }
 
-void GPIO::open(int port, int DDR)
+GPIOChipCache::GPIOChipCache()
 {
-    int fd;
-    fd = ::open(dev_name, O_RDONLY);
-    if (fd >= 0) {
-        ::close(fd);
+    try {
+        openDevice();
     }
-    else {
-        dev_name = "/dev/gpiochip0";
-        fd = ::open(dev_name, O_RDONLY);
-        if (fd >= 0) {
-            ::close(fd);
-        }
-        else {
-            throw GPIOException("can't open /dev/gpiochip");
+    catch (GPIOException& exc) {
+        chip = "/dev/gpiochip0";
+        openDevice();
+    }
+    request.num_lines = 1;
+    strcpy(request.consumer, "RF24 lib");
+    data.mask = 1ULL; // only change value for specified pin
+
+    // cache chip info
+    int ret = ioctl(fd, GPIO_GET_CHIPINFO_IOCTL, &chipMeta);
+    if (ret < 0) {
+        std::string msg = "Could not gather info about ";
+        msg += chip;
+        throw GPIOException(msg);
+        return;
+    }
+    closeDevice(); // in case other apps want to access it
+}
+
+GPIOChipCache::~GPIOChipCache()
+{
+    closeDevice();
+    for (std::map<rf24_gpio_pin_t, gpio_fd>::iterator i = cachedPins.begin(); i != cachedPins.end(); ++i) {
+        if (i->second > 0) {
+            close(i->second);
         }
     }
 }
 
-void GPIO::close(int port)
+// GPIO chip cache manager
+GPIOChipCache gpioCache;
+
+GPIO::GPIO()
 {
 }
 
-int GPIO::read(int port)
+GPIO::~GPIO()
 {
+}
 
-    struct gpiohandle_request rq;
-    struct gpiohandle_data data;
-    int fd, ret;
-    fd = ::open(dev_name, O_RDONLY);
-    if (fd >= 0) {
-        rq.lineoffsets[0] = port;
-        rq.flags = GPIOHANDLE_REQUEST_INPUT;
-        rq.lines = 1;
-        ret = ioctl(fd, GPIO_GET_LINEHANDLE_IOCTL, &rq);
-        if (ret == -1) {
-            throw GPIOException("Can't get line handle from IOCTL");
-            return ret;
-        }
-        ::close(fd);
-        ret = ioctl(rq.fd, GPIOHANDLE_GET_LINE_VALUES_IOCTL, &data);
-        if (ret == -1) {
-            throw GPIOException("Can't get line value from IOCTL");
-            return ret;
+void GPIO::open(rf24_gpio_pin_t port, int DDR)
+{
+    if (port > chipMeta.lines) {
+        std::string msg = "pin number " + std::to_string(port) + " not available for " + gpioCache.chip;
+        throw GPIOException(msg);
+        return;
+    }
+
+    // check if pin is already in use
+    std::map<rf24_gpio_pin_t, gpio_fd>::iterator pin = cachedPins.find(port);
+    if (pin == cachedPins.end()) { // pin not in use; add it to cached request
+        request.offsets[0] = port;
+        request.fd = 0;
+    }
+    else {
+        request.fd = pin->second;
+    }
+
+    gpioCache.openDevice();
+    int ret;
+    if (request.fd <= 0) {
+        ret = ioctl(gpioCache.fd, GPIO_V2_GET_LINE_IOCTL, &request);
+        if (ret == -1 || request.fd <= 0) {
+            std::string msg = "[GPIO::open] Can't get line handle from IOCTL; ";
+            msg += strerror(errno);
+            throw GPIOException(msg);
+            return;
         }
-        ::close(rq.fd);
-        return data.values[0];
     }
-    return -1;
+    gpioCache.closeDevice(); // in case other apps want to access it
+
+    // set the pin and direction
+    request.config.flags = DDR ? GPIO_V2_LINE_FLAG_OUTPUT : GPIO_V2_LINE_FLAG_INPUT;
+
+    ret = ioctl(request.fd, GPIO_V2_LINE_SET_CONFIG_IOCTL, &request.config);
+    if (ret == -1) {
+        std::string msg = "[gpio::open] Can't set line config; ";
+        msg += strerror(errno);
+        throw GPIOException(msg);
+        return;
+    }
+    cachedPins.insert(std::pair<rf24_gpio_pin_t, gpio_fd>(port, request.fd));
 }
 
-void GPIO::write(int port, int value)
+void GPIO::close(rf24_gpio_pin_t port)
 {
+    // This is not really used in RF24 convention (designed for embedded apps).
+    // Instead rely on gpioCache destructor (see above)
+}
 
-    struct gpiohandle_request rq;
-    struct gpiohandle_data data;
-    int fd, ret;
-    fd = ::open(dev_name, O_RDONLY);
-    if (fd < 0) {
-        throw GPIOException("Can't open dev");
-        return;
+int GPIO::read(rf24_gpio_pin_t port)
+{
+    std::map<rf24_gpio_pin_t, gpio_fd>::iterator pin = cachedPins.find(port);
+    if (pin == cachedPins.end() || pin->second <= 0) {
+        throw GPIOException("[GPIO::read] pin not initialized! Use GPIO::open() first");
+        return -1;
     }
-    rq.lineoffsets[0] = port;
-    rq.flags = GPIOHANDLE_REQUEST_OUTPUT;
-    rq.lines = 1;
-    ret = ioctl(fd, GPIO_GET_LINEHANDLE_IOCTL, &rq);
+
+    data.bits = 0ULL;
+
+    int ret = ioctl(pin->second, GPIO_V2_LINE_GET_VALUES_IOCTL, &data);
     if (ret == -1) {
-        throw GPIOException("Can't get line handle from IOCTL");
+        std::string msg = "[GPIO::read] Can't get line value from IOCTL; ";
+        msg += strerror(errno);
+        throw GPIOException(msg);
+        return ret;
+    }
+    return data.bits & 1ULL;
+}
+
+void GPIO::write(rf24_gpio_pin_t port, int value)
+{
+    std::map<rf24_gpio_pin_t, gpio_fd>::iterator pin = cachedPins.find(port);
+    if (pin == cachedPins.end() || pin->second <= 0) {
+        throw GPIOException("[GPIO::write] pin not initialized! Use GPIO::open() first");
         return;
     }
-    ::close(fd);
-    data.values[0] = value;
-    ret = ioctl(rq.fd, GPIOHANDLE_SET_LINE_VALUES_IOCTL, &data);
+
+    data.bits = value;
+
+    int ret = ioctl(pin->second, GPIO_V2_LINE_SET_VALUES_IOCTL, &data);
     if (ret == -1) {
-        throw GPIOException("Can't set line value from IOCTL");
+        std::string msg = "[GPIO::write] Can't set line value from IOCTL; ";
+        msg += strerror(errno);
+        throw GPIOException(msg);
         return;
     }
-    ::close(rq.fd);
 }
diff --git a/utility/SPIDEV/gpio.h b/utility/SPIDEV/gpio.h
index b9a607f2..006d5d2c 100644
--- a/utility/SPIDEV/gpio.h
+++ b/utility/SPIDEV/gpio.h
@@ -16,6 +16,18 @@
 #include <cstdio>
 #include <map>
 #include <stdexcept>
+#include <cstdint>
+
+typedef uint16_t rf24_gpio_pin_t;
+#define RF24_PIN_INVALID 0xFFFF
+
+#ifndef RF24_SPIDEV_GPIO_CHIP
+    /**
+     * The default GPIO chip to use.  Defaults to `/dev/gpiochip4` (for RPi5).
+     * Falls back to `/dev/gpiochip0` if this value is somehow incorrect.
+     */
+    #define RF24_SPIDEV_GPIO_CHIP "/dev/gpiochip4"
+#endif
 
 /** Specific exception for SPI errors */
 class GPIOException : public std::runtime_error
@@ -27,7 +39,28 @@ class GPIOException : public std::runtime_error
     }
 };
 
-typedef int GPIOfdCache_t;
+/// A struct to manage the GPIO chip file descriptor.
+/// This struct's destructor should close any cached GPIO pin requests' file descriptors.
+struct GPIOChipCache
+{
+    const char* chip = RF24_SPIDEV_GPIO_CHIP;
+    int fd = -1;
+
+    /// Open the File Descriptor for the GPIO chip
+    void openDevice();
+
+    /// Close the File Descriptor for the GPIO chip
+    void closeDevice();
+
+    /// should be called automatically on program start.
+    /// Here, we do some one-off configuration.
+    GPIOChipCache();
+
+    /// Should be called automatically on program exit.
+    /// What we need here is to make sure that the File Descriptors used to
+    /// control GPIO pins are properly closed.
+    ~GPIOChipCache();
+};
 
 class GPIO
 {
@@ -41,13 +74,13 @@ class GPIO
 
     GPIO();
 
-    static void open(int port, int DDR);
+    static void open(rf24_gpio_pin_t port, int DDR);
 
-    static void close(int port);
+    static void close(rf24_gpio_pin_t port);
 
-    static int read(int port);
+    static int read(rf24_gpio_pin_t port);
 
-    static void write(int port, int value);
+    static void write(rf24_gpio_pin_t port, int value);
 
     virtual ~GPIO();