diff --git a/drivers/misc/mei/client.c b/drivers/misc/mei/client.c
index 619b4702347f8a528a28e4040bb26d1dfde43a2b..ecfaef93457d9b3b2af871c21d93658437173b59 100644
--- a/drivers/misc/mei/client.c
+++ b/drivers/misc/mei/client.c
@@ -1331,6 +1331,9 @@ int mei_cl_notify_request(struct mei_cl *cl,
 		return -EOPNOTSUPP;
 	}
 
+	if (!mei_cl_is_connected(cl))
+		return -ENODEV;
+
 	rets = pm_runtime_get(dev->dev);
 	if (rets < 0 && rets != -EINPROGRESS) {
 		pm_runtime_put_noidle(dev->dev);