diff --git a/drivers/char/tpm/tpm-chip.c b/drivers/char/tpm/tpm-chip.c
index b4ed3ae67a4b..b009e7479b70 100644
--- a/drivers/char/tpm/tpm-chip.c
+++ b/drivers/char/tpm/tpm-chip.c
@@ -474,13 +474,21 @@ static void tpm_del_char_device(struct tpm_chip *chip)
 
 	/* Make the driver uncallable. */
 	down_write(&chip->ops_sem);
-	if (chip->flags & TPM_CHIP_FLAG_TPM2) {
-		if (!tpm_chip_start(chip)) {
-			tpm2_shutdown(chip, TPM2_SU_CLEAR);
-			tpm_chip_stop(chip);
+
+	/*
+	 * Check if chip->ops is still valid: In case that the controller
+	 * drivers shutdown handler unregisters the controller in its
+	 * shutdown handler we are called twice and chip->ops to NULL.
+	 */
+	if (chip->ops) {
+		if (chip->flags & TPM_CHIP_FLAG_TPM2) {
+			if (!tpm_chip_start(chip)) {
+				tpm2_shutdown(chip, TPM2_SU_CLEAR);
+				tpm_chip_stop(chip);
+			}
 		}
+		chip->ops = NULL;
 	}
-	chip->ops = NULL;
 	up_write(&chip->ops_sem);
 }