diff --git a/drivers/iio/trigger/iio-trig-sysfs.c b/drivers/iio/trigger/iio-trig-sysfs.c
index 2277d6336ac0..9ed5b9405ade 100644
--- a/drivers/iio/trigger/iio-trig-sysfs.c
+++ b/drivers/iio/trigger/iio-trig-sysfs.c
@@ -209,9 +209,13 @@ static int iio_sysfs_trigger_remove(int id)
 
 static int __init iio_sysfs_trig_init(void)
 {
+	int ret;
 	device_initialize(&iio_sysfs_trig_dev);
 	dev_set_name(&iio_sysfs_trig_dev, "iio_sysfs_trigger");
-	return device_add(&iio_sysfs_trig_dev);
+	ret = device_add(&iio_sysfs_trig_dev);
+	if (ret)
+		put_device(&iio_sysfs_trig_dev);
+	return ret;
 }
 module_init(iio_sysfs_trig_init);