diff --git a/drivers/iio/inkern.c b/drivers/iio/inkern.c
index 9d87057794fc..87fd2a0d44f2 100644
--- a/drivers/iio/inkern.c
+++ b/drivers/iio/inkern.c
@@ -412,6 +412,8 @@ struct iio_channel *devm_of_iio_channel_get_by_name(struct device *dev,
 	channel = of_iio_channel_get_by_name(np, channel_name);
 	if (IS_ERR(channel))
 		return channel;
+	if (!channel)
+		return ERR_PTR(-ENODEV);
 
 	ret = devm_add_action_or_reset(dev, devm_iio_channel_free, channel);
 	if (ret)