diff --git a/drivers/dma/dmaengine.c b/drivers/dma/dmaengine.c
index cae120994d8f..30211f9791b7 100644
--- a/drivers/dma/dmaengine.c
+++ b/drivers/dma/dmaengine.c
@@ -826,6 +826,9 @@ int dma_async_device_register(struct dma_device *device)
 	BUG_ON(!device->device_issue_pending);
 	BUG_ON(!device->dev);
 
+	WARN(dma_has_cap(DMA_SLAVE, device->cap_mask) && !device->directions,
+	     "this driver doesn't support generic slave capabilities reporting\n");
+
 	/* note: this only matters in the
 	 * CONFIG_ASYNC_TX_ENABLE_CHANNEL_SWITCH=n case
 	 */