diff --git a/sound/soc/soc-compress.c b/sound/soc/soc-compress.c
index 5a1702d926ae4b2502d3c94bc1f95a574e29cd3b..d0f3ff8edd904e2b9765c939c219786412dd9163 100644
--- a/sound/soc/soc-compress.c
+++ b/sound/soc/soc-compress.c
@@ -766,16 +766,19 @@ int snd_soc_new_compress(struct snd_soc_pcm_runtime *rtd, int num)
 		return -EINVAL;
 	}
 
-	/* check client and interface hw capabilities */
-	if (codec_dai) {
-		if (snd_soc_dai_stream_valid(codec_dai, SNDRV_PCM_STREAM_PLAYBACK) &&
-		    snd_soc_dai_stream_valid(cpu_dai,   SNDRV_PCM_STREAM_PLAYBACK))
-			playback = 1;
-		if (snd_soc_dai_stream_valid(codec_dai, SNDRV_PCM_STREAM_CAPTURE) &&
-		    snd_soc_dai_stream_valid(cpu_dai,   SNDRV_PCM_STREAM_CAPTURE))
-			capture = 1;
+	if (!codec_dai) {
+		dev_err(rtd->card->dev, "Missing codec\n");
+		return -EINVAL;
 	}
 
+	/* check client and interface hw capabilities */
+	if (snd_soc_dai_stream_valid(codec_dai, SNDRV_PCM_STREAM_PLAYBACK) &&
+	    snd_soc_dai_stream_valid(cpu_dai,   SNDRV_PCM_STREAM_PLAYBACK))
+		playback = 1;
+	if (snd_soc_dai_stream_valid(codec_dai, SNDRV_PCM_STREAM_CAPTURE) &&
+	    snd_soc_dai_stream_valid(cpu_dai,   SNDRV_PCM_STREAM_CAPTURE))
+		capture = 1;
+
 	/*
 	 * Compress devices are unidirectional so only one of the directions
 	 * should be set, check for that (xor)