diff --git a/drivers/media/rc/nuvoton-cir.c b/drivers/media/rc/nuvoton-cir.c
index b41e52e3471a626484af6a00a6cfbcdda120244f..b81325d7948f75c89ffe5c08808b68de363e27a2 100644
--- a/drivers/media/rc/nuvoton-cir.c
+++ b/drivers/media/rc/nuvoton-cir.c
@@ -985,6 +985,12 @@ static int nvt_probe(struct pnp_dev *pdev, const struct pnp_device_id *dev_id)
 		goto exit_free_dev_rdev;
 
 	ret = -ENODEV;
+	/* activate pnp device */
+	if (pnp_activate_dev(pdev) < 0) {
+		dev_err(&pdev->dev, "Could not activate PNP device!\n");
+		goto exit_free_dev_rdev;
+	}
+
 	/* validate pnp resources */
 	if (!pnp_port_valid(pdev, 0) ||
 	    pnp_port_len(pdev, 0) < CIR_IOREG_LENGTH) {