diff --git a/lib/kobject.c b/lib/kobject.c
index ea53b30cf483..cd3e1a98eff9 100644
--- a/lib/kobject.c
+++ b/lib/kobject.c
@@ -874,6 +874,11 @@ int kset_register(struct kset *k)
 	if (!k)
 		return -EINVAL;
 
+	if (!k->kobj.ktype) {
+		pr_err("must have a ktype to be initialized properly!\n");
+		return -EINVAL;
+	}
+
 	kset_init(k);
 	err = kobject_add_internal(&k->kobj);
 	if (err)