diff --git a/drivers/thermal/cpufreq_cooling.c b/drivers/thermal/cpufreq_cooling.c
index 43b1ae8a7789..12a60415af95 100644
--- a/drivers/thermal/cpufreq_cooling.c
+++ b/drivers/thermal/cpufreq_cooling.c
@@ -525,17 +525,17 @@ __cpufreq_cooling_register(struct device_node *np,
 	struct thermal_cooling_device_ops *cooling_ops;
 	char *name;
 
+	if (IS_ERR_OR_NULL(policy)) {
+		pr_err("%s: cpufreq policy isn't valid: %p\n", __func__, policy);
+		return ERR_PTR(-EINVAL);
+	}
+
 	dev = get_cpu_device(policy->cpu);
 	if (unlikely(!dev)) {
 		pr_warn("No cpu device for cpu %d\n", policy->cpu);
 		return ERR_PTR(-ENODEV);
 	}
 
-	if (IS_ERR_OR_NULL(policy)) {
-		pr_err("%s: cpufreq policy isn't valid: %p\n", __func__, policy);
-		return ERR_PTR(-EINVAL);
-	}
-
 	i = cpufreq_table_count_valid_entries(policy);
 	if (!i) {
 		pr_debug("%s: CPUFreq table not found or has no valid entries\n",