diff --git a/drivers/mfd/max8998.c b/drivers/mfd/max8998.c
index 5d5e186b5d8b..592db06098e6 100644
--- a/drivers/mfd/max8998.c
+++ b/drivers/mfd/max8998.c
@@ -215,6 +215,10 @@ static int max8998_i2c_probe(struct i2c_client *i2c,
 	mutex_init(&max8998->iolock);
 
 	max8998->rtc = i2c_new_dummy(i2c->adapter, RTC_I2C_ADDR);
+	if (!max8998->rtc) {
+		dev_err(&i2c->dev, "Failed to allocate I2C device for RTC\n");
+		return -ENODEV;
+	}
 	i2c_set_clientdata(max8998->rtc, max8998);
 
 	max8998_irq_init(max8998);