diff --git a/drivers/staging/comedi/drivers.c b/drivers/staging/comedi/drivers.c
index 1db6bfdbf13bd70695492f3cabea51ca7a325e43..09e1daf95767fb5d3ef2976edac446aea89ab6b5 100644
--- a/drivers/staging/comedi/drivers.c
+++ b/drivers/staging/comedi/drivers.c
@@ -860,6 +860,7 @@ comedi_auto_config_helper(struct device *hardware_device,
 	else if (!try_module_get(driver->module))
 		ret = -EIO;
 	else {
+		comedi_set_hw_dev(comedi_dev, hardware_device);
 		/* set comedi_dev->driver here for attach wrapper */
 		comedi_dev->driver = driver;
 		ret = (*attach_wrapper)(comedi_dev, context);