diff --git a/drivers/dma/dma-jz4780.c b/drivers/dma/dma-jz4780.c
index 85820a2d69d4..987899610b46 100644
--- a/drivers/dma/dma-jz4780.c
+++ b/drivers/dma/dma-jz4780.c
@@ -761,6 +761,11 @@ static int jz4780_dma_probe(struct platform_device *pdev)
 	struct resource *res;
 	int i, ret;
 
+	if (!dev->of_node) {
+		dev_err(dev, "This driver must be probed from devicetree\n");
+		return -EINVAL;
+	}
+
 	jzdma = devm_kzalloc(dev, sizeof(*jzdma), GFP_KERNEL);
 	if (!jzdma)
 		return -ENOMEM;