diff --git a/drivers/gpio/gpiolib.c b/drivers/gpio/gpiolib.c
index 759a39906a52..fe89fd56eabf 100644
--- a/drivers/gpio/gpiolib.c
+++ b/drivers/gpio/gpiolib.c
@@ -2117,6 +2117,8 @@ struct gpio_desc *__must_check gpiod_get_index(struct device *dev,
 	struct gpio_desc *desc = NULL;
 	int status;
 	enum gpio_lookup_flags lookupflags = 0;
+	/* Maybe we have a device name, maybe not */
+	const char *devname = dev ? dev_name(dev) : "?";
 
 	dev_dbg(dev, "GPIO lookup for consumer %s\n", con_id);
 
@@ -2145,8 +2147,11 @@ struct gpio_desc *__must_check gpiod_get_index(struct device *dev,
 		return desc;
 	}
 
-	/* If a connection label was passed use that, else use the device name as label */
-	status = gpiod_request(desc, con_id ? con_id : dev_name(dev));
+	/*
+	 * If a connection label was passed use that, else attempt to use
+	 * the device name as label
+	 */
+	status = gpiod_request(desc, con_id ? con_id : devname);
 	if (status < 0)
 		return ERR_PTR(status);