diff --git a/drivers/pinctrl/devicetree.c b/drivers/pinctrl/devicetree.c
index c4aa411f5935..2969ff3162c3 100644
--- a/drivers/pinctrl/devicetree.c
+++ b/drivers/pinctrl/devicetree.c
@@ -111,17 +111,24 @@ static int dt_to_map_one_config(struct pinctrl *p,
 	int ret;
 	struct pinctrl_map *map;
 	unsigned num_maps;
+	bool allow_default = false;
 
 	/* Find the pin controller containing np_config */
 	np_pctldev = of_node_get(np_config);
 	for (;;) {
+		if (!allow_default)
+			allow_default = of_property_read_bool(np_pctldev,
+							      "pinctrl-use-default");
+
 		np_pctldev = of_get_next_parent(np_pctldev);
 		if (!np_pctldev || of_node_is_root(np_pctldev)) {
-			dev_info(p->dev, "could not find pctldev for node %pOF, deferring probe\n",
-				np_config);
 			of_node_put(np_pctldev);
-			/* OK let's just assume this will appear later then */
-			return -EPROBE_DEFER;
+			ret = driver_deferred_probe_check_state(p->dev);
+			/* keep deferring if modules are enabled unless we've timed out */
+			if (IS_ENABLED(CONFIG_MODULES) && !allow_default && ret == -ENODEV)
+				ret = -EPROBE_DEFER;
+
+			return ret;
 		}
 		/* If we're creating a hog we can use the passed pctldev */
 		if (hog_pctldev && (np_pctldev == p->dev->of_node)) {