diff --git a/drivers/devfreq/devfreq.c b/drivers/devfreq/devfreq.c
index bf3ea7603a58..712592cef1a2 100644
--- a/drivers/devfreq/devfreq.c
+++ b/drivers/devfreq/devfreq.c
@@ -593,11 +593,16 @@ struct devfreq *devfreq_add_device(struct device *dev,
 	list_add(&devfreq->node, &devfreq_list);
 
 	governor = find_devfreq_governor(devfreq->governor_name);
-	if (!IS_ERR(governor))
-		devfreq->governor = governor;
-	if (devfreq->governor)
-		err = devfreq->governor->event_handler(devfreq,
-					DEVFREQ_GOV_START, NULL);
+	if (IS_ERR(governor)) {
+		dev_err(dev, "%s: Unable to find governor for the device\n",
+			__func__);
+		err = PTR_ERR(governor);
+		goto err_init;
+	}
+
+	devfreq->governor = governor;
+	err = devfreq->governor->event_handler(devfreq, DEVFREQ_GOV_START,
+						NULL);
 	if (err) {
 		dev_err(dev, "%s: Unable to start governor for the device\n",
 			__func__);