diff --git a/drivers/char/virtio_console.c b/drivers/char/virtio_console.c
index de03df9dd7c9614e290a7c60ddee6a1564c0f5f2..26afb56a807300026507fdf8624e8a597d1acdc0 100644
--- a/drivers/char/virtio_console.c
+++ b/drivers/char/virtio_console.c
@@ -1986,6 +1986,12 @@ static int virtcons_probe(struct virtio_device *vdev)
 	bool multiport;
 	bool early = early_put_chars != NULL;
 
+	if (!vdev->config->get) {
+		dev_err(&vdev->dev, "%s failure: config access disabled\n",
+			__func__);
+		return -EINVAL;
+	}
+
 	/* Ensure to read early_put_chars now */
 	barrier();