diff --git a/drivers/mtd/spi-nor/controllers/cadence-quadspi.c b/drivers/mtd/spi-nor/controllers/cadence-quadspi.c
index 608ca657ff7f..0570ebca135a 100644
--- a/drivers/mtd/spi-nor/controllers/cadence-quadspi.c
+++ b/drivers/mtd/spi-nor/controllers/cadence-quadspi.c
@@ -1169,7 +1169,7 @@ static void cqspi_controller_init(struct cqspi_st *cqspi)
 	cqspi_controller_enable(cqspi, 1);
 }
 
-static void cqspi_request_mmap_dma(struct cqspi_st *cqspi)
+static int cqspi_request_mmap_dma(struct cqspi_st *cqspi)
 {
 	dma_cap_mask_t mask;
 
@@ -1178,11 +1178,16 @@ static void cqspi_request_mmap_dma(struct cqspi_st *cqspi)
 
 	cqspi->rx_chan = dma_request_chan_by_mask(&mask);
 	if (IS_ERR(cqspi->rx_chan)) {
-		dev_err(&cqspi->pdev->dev, "No Rx DMA available\n");
+		int ret = PTR_ERR(cqspi->rx_chan);
+
+		if (ret != -EPROBE_DEFER)
+			dev_err(&cqspi->pdev->dev, "No Rx DMA available\n");
 		cqspi->rx_chan = NULL;
-		return;
+		return ret;
 	}
 	init_completion(&cqspi->rx_dma_complete);
+
+	return 0;
 }
 
 static const struct spi_nor_controller_ops cqspi_controller_ops = {
@@ -1269,8 +1274,11 @@ static int cqspi_setup_flash(struct cqspi_st *cqspi, struct device_node *np)
 			dev_dbg(nor->dev, "using direct mode for %s\n",
 				mtd->name);
 
-			if (!cqspi->rx_chan)
-				cqspi_request_mmap_dma(cqspi);
+			if (!cqspi->rx_chan) {
+				ret = cqspi_request_mmap_dma(cqspi);
+				if (ret == -EPROBE_DEFER)
+					goto err;
+			}
 		}
 	}