diff --git a/drivers/misc/eeprom/at24.c b/drivers/misc/eeprom/at24.c
index 572333ead5fb..4bd4f32bcdab 100644
--- a/drivers/misc/eeprom/at24.c
+++ b/drivers/misc/eeprom/at24.c
@@ -758,15 +758,6 @@ static int at24_probe(struct i2c_client *client)
 	}
 	pm_runtime_enable(dev);
 
-	at24->nvmem = devm_nvmem_register(dev, &nvmem_config);
-	if (IS_ERR(at24->nvmem)) {
-		pm_runtime_disable(dev);
-		if (!pm_runtime_status_suspended(dev))
-			regulator_disable(at24->vcc_reg);
-		return dev_err_probe(dev, PTR_ERR(at24->nvmem),
-				     "failed to register nvmem\n");
-	}
-
 	/*
 	 * Perform a one-byte test read to verify that the chip is functional,
 	 * unless powering on the device is to be avoided during probe (i.e.
@@ -782,6 +773,15 @@ static int at24_probe(struct i2c_client *client)
 		}
 	}
 
+	at24->nvmem = devm_nvmem_register(dev, &nvmem_config);
+	if (IS_ERR(at24->nvmem)) {
+		pm_runtime_disable(dev);
+		if (!pm_runtime_status_suspended(dev))
+			regulator_disable(at24->vcc_reg);
+		return dev_err_probe(dev, PTR_ERR(at24->nvmem),
+				     "failed to register nvmem\n");
+	}
+
 	/* If this a SPD EEPROM, probe for DDR3 thermal sensor */
 	if (cdata == &at24_data_spd)
 		at24_probe_temp_sensor(client);