diff --git a/drivers/thermal/thermal_core.c b/drivers/thermal/thermal_core.c
index ec8551a83a87..f3d9fe9d5c48 100644
--- a/drivers/thermal/thermal_core.c
+++ b/drivers/thermal/thermal_core.c
@@ -1114,9 +1114,45 @@ static struct attribute_group thermal_zone_mode_attribute_group = {
 	.is_visible = thermal_zone_mode_is_visible,
 };
 
+/* We expose passive only if passive trips are present */
+static struct attribute *thermal_zone_passive_attrs[] = {
+	&dev_attr_passive.attr,
+	NULL,
+};
+
+static umode_t thermal_zone_passive_is_visible(struct kobject *kobj,
+					       struct attribute *attr,
+					       int attrno)
+{
+	struct device *dev = container_of(kobj, struct device, kobj);
+	struct thermal_zone_device *tz;
+	enum thermal_trip_type trip_type;
+	int count, passive = 0;
+
+	tz = container_of(dev, struct thermal_zone_device, device);
+
+	for (count = 0; count < tz->trips && !passive; count++) {
+		tz->ops->get_trip_type(tz, count, &trip_type);
+
+		if (trip_type == THERMAL_TRIP_PASSIVE)
+			passive = 1;
+	}
+
+	if (!passive)
+		return attr->mode;
+
+	return 0;
+}
+
+static struct attribute_group thermal_zone_passive_attribute_group = {
+	.attrs = thermal_zone_passive_attrs,
+	.is_visible = thermal_zone_passive_is_visible,
+};
+
 static const struct attribute_group *thermal_zone_attribute_groups[] = {
 	&thermal_zone_attribute_group,
 	&thermal_zone_mode_attribute_group,
+	&thermal_zone_passive_attribute_group,
 	NULL
 };
 
@@ -1906,7 +1942,6 @@ struct thermal_zone_device *thermal_zone_device_register(const char *type,
 	int trip_temp;
 	int result;
 	int count;
-	int passive = 0;
 	struct thermal_governor *governor;
 
 	if (!type || strlen(type) == 0)
@@ -1967,8 +2002,6 @@ struct thermal_zone_device *thermal_zone_device_register(const char *type,
 	for (count = 0; count < trips; count++) {
 		if (tz->ops->get_trip_type(tz, count, &trip_type))
 			set_bit(count, &tz->trips_disabled);
-		if (trip_type == THERMAL_TRIP_PASSIVE)
-			passive = 1;
 		if (tz->ops->get_trip_temp(tz, count, &trip_temp))
 			set_bit(count, &tz->trips_disabled);
 		/* Check for bogus trip points */
@@ -1976,12 +2009,6 @@ struct thermal_zone_device *thermal_zone_device_register(const char *type,
 			set_bit(count, &tz->trips_disabled);
 	}
 
-	if (!passive) {
-		result = device_create_file(&tz->device, &dev_attr_passive);
-		if (result)
-			goto unregister;
-	}
-
 	/* Update 'this' zone's governor information */
 	mutex_lock(&thermal_governor_lock);