diff --git a/arch/arm/kernel/perf_event.c b/arch/arm/kernel/perf_event.c
index 8e9c98edc0682a8aa23790737a3b63b08dea847f..88b0941ce51ec674bbf46d604fcbb46f5dc25255 100644
--- a/arch/arm/kernel/perf_event.c
+++ b/arch/arm/kernel/perf_event.c
@@ -640,6 +640,9 @@ static struct platform_device_id armpmu_plat_device_ids[] = {
 
 static int __devinit armpmu_device_probe(struct platform_device *pdev)
 {
+	if (!cpu_pmu)
+		return -ENODEV;
+
 	cpu_pmu->plat_device = pdev;
 	return 0;
 }