diff --git a/drivers/net/can/sja1000/ems_pcmcia.c b/drivers/net/can/sja1000/ems_pcmcia.c
index 381de998d2f1..fef5c59c0f4c 100644
--- a/drivers/net/can/sja1000/ems_pcmcia.c
+++ b/drivers/net/can/sja1000/ems_pcmcia.c
@@ -243,7 +243,12 @@ static int ems_pcmcia_add_card(struct pcmcia_device *pdev, unsigned long base)
 			free_sja1000dev(dev);
 	}
 
-	err = request_irq(dev->irq, &ems_pcmcia_interrupt, IRQF_SHARED,
+	if (!card->channels) {
+		err = -ENODEV;
+		goto failure_cleanup;
+	}
+
+	err = request_irq(pdev->irq, &ems_pcmcia_interrupt, IRQF_SHARED,
 			  DRV_NAME, card);
 	if (!err)
 		return 0;