diff --git a/drivers/gpio/gpio-mxc.c b/drivers/gpio/gpio-mxc.c
index 2d1dfa1e07456269f303d55793c56bfea3f0b530..e86e61dda4b757fa04c3616aab6c7ffb14554a53 100644
--- a/drivers/gpio/gpio-mxc.c
+++ b/drivers/gpio/gpio-mxc.c
@@ -438,8 +438,11 @@ static int mxc_gpio_probe(struct platform_device *pdev)
 
 	/* the controller clock is optional */
 	port->clk = devm_clk_get(&pdev->dev, NULL);
-	if (IS_ERR(port->clk))
+	if (IS_ERR(port->clk)) {
+		if (PTR_ERR(port->clk) == -EPROBE_DEFER)
+			return -EPROBE_DEFER;
 		port->clk = NULL;
+	}
 
 	err = clk_prepare_enable(port->clk);
 	if (err) {