diff --git a/lib/kobject.c b/lib/kobject.c
index 0c6d17503a11..c4025a880d75 100644
--- a/lib/kobject.c
+++ b/lib/kobject.c
@@ -877,6 +877,11 @@ 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)