diff --git a/drivers/char/hw_random/virtio-rng.c b/drivers/char/hw_random/virtio-rng.c
index f9982217247d..45d87c0614a5 100644
--- a/drivers/char/hw_random/virtio-rng.c
+++ b/drivers/char/hw_random/virtio-rng.c
@@ -190,6 +190,7 @@ static int probe_common(struct virtio_device *vdev)
 err_find:
 	ida_free(&rng_index_ida, index);
 err_ida:
+	vdev->priv = NULL;
 	kfree(vi);
 	return err;
 }
@@ -198,6 +199,11 @@ static void remove_common(struct virtio_device *vdev)
 {
 	struct virtrng_info *vi = vdev->priv;
 
+	if (!vi) {
+		virtio_reset_device(vdev);
+		return;
+	}
+
 	vi->hwrng_removed = true;
 	vi->data_avail = 0;
 	vi->data_idx = 0;
@@ -207,6 +213,7 @@ static void remove_common(struct virtio_device *vdev)
 	virtio_reset_device(vdev);
 	vdev->config->del_vqs(vdev);
 	ida_free(&rng_index_ida, vi->index);
+	vdev->priv = NULL;
 	kfree(vi);
 }