diff --git a/drivers/pnp/core.c b/drivers/pnp/core.c
index ef2f59c4e57c..b54620e53830 100644
--- a/drivers/pnp/core.c
+++ b/drivers/pnp/core.c
@@ -42,6 +42,13 @@ void *pnp_alloc(long size)
 	return result;
 }
 
+static void pnp_remove_protocol(struct pnp_protocol *protocol)
+{
+	mutex_lock(&pnp_lock);
+	list_del(&protocol->protocol_list);
+	mutex_unlock(&pnp_lock);
+}
+
 /**
  * pnp_protocol_register - adds a pnp protocol to the pnp layer
  * @protocol: pointer to the corresponding pnp_protocol structure
@@ -50,12 +57,13 @@ void *pnp_alloc(long size)
  */
 int pnp_register_protocol(struct pnp_protocol *protocol)
 {
-	int nodenum;
 	struct list_head *pos;
+	int nodenum, ret;
 
 	INIT_LIST_HEAD(&protocol->devices);
 	INIT_LIST_HEAD(&protocol->cards);
 	nodenum = 0;
+
 	mutex_lock(&pnp_lock);
 
 	/* assign the lowest unused number */
@@ -67,12 +75,18 @@ int pnp_register_protocol(struct pnp_protocol *protocol)
 		}
 	}
 
-	list_add_tail(&protocol->protocol_list, &pnp_protocols);
-	mutex_unlock(&pnp_lock);
-
 	protocol->number = nodenum;
 	dev_set_name(&protocol->dev, "pnp%d", nodenum);
-	return device_register(&protocol->dev);
+
+	list_add_tail(&protocol->protocol_list, &pnp_protocols);
+
+	mutex_unlock(&pnp_lock);
+
+	ret = device_register(&protocol->dev);
+	if (ret)
+		pnp_remove_protocol(protocol);
+
+	return ret;
 }
 
 /**
@@ -81,9 +95,7 @@ int pnp_register_protocol(struct pnp_protocol *protocol)
  */
 void pnp_unregister_protocol(struct pnp_protocol *protocol)
 {
-	mutex_lock(&pnp_lock);
-	list_del(&protocol->protocol_list);
-	mutex_unlock(&pnp_lock);
+	pnp_remove_protocol(protocol);
 	device_unregister(&protocol->dev);
 }
 
@@ -158,18 +170,36 @@ struct pnp_dev *pnp_alloc_dev(struct pnp_protocol *protocol, int id,
 	return dev;
 }
 
+static void pnp_delist_device(struct pnp_dev *dev)
+{
+	mutex_lock(&pnp_lock);
+	list_del(&dev->global_list);
+	list_del(&dev->protocol_list);
+	mutex_unlock(&pnp_lock);
+}
+
 int __pnp_add_device(struct pnp_dev *dev)
 {
+	int ret;
+
 	pnp_fixup_device(dev);
 	dev->status = PNP_READY;
+
 	mutex_lock(&pnp_lock);
+
 	list_add_tail(&dev->global_list, &pnp_global);
 	list_add_tail(&dev->protocol_list, &dev->protocol->devices);
+
 	mutex_unlock(&pnp_lock);
-	if (dev->protocol->can_wakeup)
+
+	ret = device_register(&dev->dev);
+	if (ret)
+		pnp_delist_device(dev);
+	else if (dev->protocol->can_wakeup)
 		device_set_wakeup_capable(&dev->dev,
 				dev->protocol->can_wakeup(dev));
-	return device_register(&dev->dev);
+
+	return ret;
 }
 
 /*
@@ -204,10 +234,7 @@ int pnp_add_device(struct pnp_dev *dev)
 
 void __pnp_remove_device(struct pnp_dev *dev)
 {
-	mutex_lock(&pnp_lock);
-	list_del(&dev->global_list);
-	list_del(&dev->protocol_list);
-	mutex_unlock(&pnp_lock);
+	pnp_delist_device(dev);
 	device_unregister(&dev->dev);
 }