diff --git a/drivers/iio/industrialio-sw-trigger.c b/drivers/iio/industrialio-sw-trigger.c
index 8d24fb159cc9..bae2d7734343 100644
--- a/drivers/iio/industrialio-sw-trigger.c
+++ b/drivers/iio/industrialio-sw-trigger.c
@@ -61,8 +61,12 @@ int iio_register_sw_trigger_type(struct iio_sw_trigger_type *t)
 
 	t->group = configfs_register_default_group(iio_triggers_group, t->name,
 						&iio_trigger_type_group_type);
-	if (IS_ERR(t->group))
+	if (IS_ERR(t->group)) {
+		mutex_lock(&iio_trigger_types_lock);
+		list_del(&t->list);
+		mutex_unlock(&iio_trigger_types_lock);
 		ret = PTR_ERR(t->group);
+	}
 
 	return ret;
 }