diff --git a/drivers/md/dm-table.c b/drivers/md/dm-table.c
index 215e112d153eea64258aceac6805e07c39556eb0..451c3bb176d2953fcc8c5da8fccc42f34e83fc74 100644
--- a/drivers/md/dm-table.c
+++ b/drivers/md/dm-table.c
@@ -362,6 +362,7 @@ static void close_dev(struct dm_dev_internal *d, struct mapped_device *md)
 static int device_area_is_invalid(struct dm_target *ti, struct dm_dev *dev,
 				  sector_t start, sector_t len, void *data)
 {
+	struct request_queue *q;
 	struct queue_limits *limits = data;
 	struct block_device *bdev = dev->bdev;
 	sector_t dev_size =
@@ -370,6 +371,22 @@ static int device_area_is_invalid(struct dm_target *ti, struct dm_dev *dev,
 		limits->logical_block_size >> SECTOR_SHIFT;
 	char b[BDEVNAME_SIZE];
 
+	/*
+	 * Some devices exist without request functions,
+	 * such as loop devices not yet bound to backing files.
+	 * Forbid the use of such devices.
+	 */
+	q = bdev_get_queue(bdev);
+	if (!q || !q->make_request_fn) {
+		DMWARN("%s: %s is not yet initialised: "
+		       "start=%llu, len=%llu, dev_size=%llu",
+		       dm_device_name(ti->table->md), bdevname(bdev, b),
+		       (unsigned long long)start,
+		       (unsigned long long)len,
+		       (unsigned long long)dev_size);
+		return 1;
+	}
+
 	if (!dev_size)
 		return 0;