diff --git a/drivers/gpio/gpiolib.c b/drivers/gpio/gpiolib.c
index eed70c36e8ac..89e01538e40e 100644
--- a/drivers/gpio/gpiolib.c
+++ b/drivers/gpio/gpiolib.c
@@ -325,6 +325,11 @@ int gpiochip_add(struct gpio_chip *chip)
 	if (!descs)
 		return -ENOMEM;
 
+	if (chip->ngpio == 0) {
+		chip_err(chip, "tried to insert a GPIO chip with zero lines\n");
+		return -EINVAL;
+	}
+
 	spin_lock_irqsave(&gpio_lock, flags);
 
 	if (base < 0) {