diff --git a/drivers/media/platform/am437x/am437x-vpfe.c b/drivers/media/platform/am437x/am437x-vpfe.c
index 6cdc77dda0e4..1c9cb9e05fdf 100644
--- a/drivers/media/platform/am437x/am437x-vpfe.c
+++ b/drivers/media/platform/am437x/am437x-vpfe.c
@@ -1021,7 +1021,9 @@ static int vpfe_initialize_device(struct vpfe_device *vpfe)
 	if (ret)
 		return ret;
 
-	pm_runtime_get_sync(vpfe->pdev);
+	ret = pm_runtime_resume_and_get(vpfe->pdev);
+	if (ret < 0)
+		return ret;
 
 	vpfe_config_enable(&vpfe->ccdc, 1);
 
@@ -2443,7 +2445,11 @@ static int vpfe_probe(struct platform_device *pdev)
 	pm_runtime_enable(&pdev->dev);
 
 	/* for now just enable it here instead of waiting for the open */
-	pm_runtime_get_sync(&pdev->dev);
+	ret = pm_runtime_resume_and_get(&pdev->dev);
+	if (ret < 0) {
+		vpfe_err(vpfe, "Unable to resume device.\n");
+		goto probe_out_v4l2_unregister;
+	}
 
 	vpfe_ccdc_config_defaults(ccdc);
 
@@ -2530,6 +2536,11 @@ static int vpfe_suspend(struct device *dev)
 
 	/* only do full suspend if streaming has started */
 	if (vb2_start_streaming_called(&vpfe->buffer_queue)) {
+		/*
+		 * ignore RPM resume errors here, as it is already too late.
+		 * A check like that should happen earlier, either at
+		 * open() or just before start streaming.
+		 */
 		pm_runtime_get_sync(dev);
 		vpfe_config_enable(ccdc, 1);