diff --git a/drivers/staging/greybus/gpio-gb.c b/drivers/staging/greybus/gpio-gb.c
index 09d77c1e6c07..c573ccec40aa 100644
--- a/drivers/staging/greybus/gpio-gb.c
+++ b/drivers/staging/greybus/gpio-gb.c
@@ -472,6 +472,7 @@ static int gb_gpio_connection_init(struct gb_connection *connection)
 	if (!gb_gpio_controller)
 		return -ENOMEM;
 	gb_gpio_controller->connection = connection;
+	connection->private = gb_gpio_controller;
 
 	ret = gb_gpio_controller_setup(gb_gpio_controller);
 	if (ret)
@@ -502,7 +503,6 @@ static int gb_gpio_connection_init(struct gb_connection *connection)
 		pr_err("Failed to register GPIO\n");
 		return ret;
 	}
-	connection->private = gb_gpio_controller;
 
 	return 0;
 out_err:
diff --git a/drivers/staging/greybus/i2c-gb.c b/drivers/staging/greybus/i2c-gb.c
index bd1bada3b372..8936389f5e2e 100644
--- a/drivers/staging/greybus/i2c-gb.c
+++ b/drivers/staging/greybus/i2c-gb.c
@@ -377,6 +377,7 @@ static int gb_i2c_connection_init(struct gb_connection *connection)
 		return -ENOMEM;
 
 	gb_i2c_dev->connection = connection;	/* refcount? */
+	connection->private = gb_i2c_dev;
 
 	ret = gb_i2c_device_setup(gb_i2c_dev);
 	if (ret)
@@ -399,8 +400,6 @@ static int gb_i2c_connection_init(struct gb_connection *connection)
 	if (ret)
 		goto out_err;
 
-	connection->private = gb_i2c_dev;
-
 	return 0;
 out_err:
 	/* kref_put(gb_i2c_dev->connection) */
diff --git a/drivers/staging/greybus/pwm-gb.c b/drivers/staging/greybus/pwm-gb.c
index 9678b6431760..c505f1d2d676 100644
--- a/drivers/staging/greybus/pwm-gb.c
+++ b/drivers/staging/greybus/pwm-gb.c
@@ -266,6 +266,7 @@ static int gb_pwm_connection_init(struct gb_connection *connection)
 	if (!pwmc)
 		return -ENOMEM;
 	pwmc->connection = connection;
+	connection->private = pwmc;
 
 	/* Check for compatible protocol version */
 	ret = gb_pwm_proto_version_operation(pwmc);
@@ -290,7 +291,6 @@ static int gb_pwm_connection_init(struct gb_connection *connection)
 		pr_err("Failed to register PWM\n");
 		return ret;
 	}
-	connection->private = pwmc;
 
 	return 0;
 out_err:
diff --git a/drivers/staging/greybus/uart-gb.c b/drivers/staging/greybus/uart-gb.c
index 6432c64fbd60..fad8635a8335 100644
--- a/drivers/staging/greybus/uart-gb.c
+++ b/drivers/staging/greybus/uart-gb.c
@@ -637,6 +637,7 @@ static int gb_uart_connection_init(struct gb_connection *connection)
 	if (!gb_tty)
 		return -ENOMEM;
 	gb_tty->connection = connection;
+	connection->private = gb_tty;
 
 	/* Check for compatible protocol version */
 	retval = get_version(gb_tty);
@@ -659,8 +660,6 @@ static int gb_uart_connection_init(struct gb_connection *connection)
 	init_waitqueue_head(&gb_tty->wioctl);
 	mutex_init(&gb_tty->mutex);
 
-	connection->private = gb_tty;
-
 	send_control(gb_tty, gb_tty->ctrlout);
 
 	/* initialize the uart to be 9600n81 */
diff --git a/drivers/staging/greybus/usb-gb.c b/drivers/staging/greybus/usb-gb.c
index e5da72a60b89..b3092ed1a191 100644
--- a/drivers/staging/greybus/usb-gb.c
+++ b/drivers/staging/greybus/usb-gb.c
@@ -341,6 +341,7 @@ static int gb_usb_connection_init(struct gb_connection *connection)
 		return -ENOMEM;
 
 	gb_usb_dev->connection = connection;
+	connection->private = gb_usb_dev;
 
 	/* Check for compatible protocol version */
 	retval = get_version(gb_usb_dev);
diff --git a/drivers/staging/greybus/vibrator-gb.c b/drivers/staging/greybus/vibrator-gb.c
index d00301dce8f0..8970c69ea893 100644
--- a/drivers/staging/greybus/vibrator-gb.c
+++ b/drivers/staging/greybus/vibrator-gb.c
@@ -139,6 +139,7 @@ static int gb_vibrator_connection_init(struct gb_connection *connection)
 		return -ENOMEM;
 
 	vib->connection = connection;
+	connection->private = vib;
 
 	retval = get_version(vib);
 	if (retval)