diff --git a/drivers/media/video/v4l2-dev.c b/drivers/media/video/v4l2-dev.c
index 6b9f3cb0de98..8903e41628eb 100644
--- a/drivers/media/video/v4l2-dev.c
+++ b/drivers/media/video/v4l2-dev.c
@@ -254,6 +254,9 @@ int video_register_device_index(struct video_device *vfd, int type, int nr,
 	int ret;
 	char *name_base;
 
+	if (vfd == NULL)
+		return -EINVAL;
+
 	if (vfd == NULL)
 		return -EINVAL;