diff --git a/drivers/cxl/core/region.c b/drivers/cxl/core/region.c
index e50dc716d4e8..cc41c08c0c0c 100644
--- a/drivers/cxl/core/region.c
+++ b/drivers/cxl/core/region.c
@@ -3714,6 +3714,9 @@ static struct cxl_region *construct_region(struct cxl_root_decoder *cxlrd,
 	int rc, part = READ_ONCE(cxled->part);
 	struct cxl_region *cxlr;
 
+	if (part < 0)
+		return ERR_PTR(-EBUSY);
+
 	do {
 		cxlr = __create_region(cxlrd, cxlds->part[part].mode,
 				       atomic_read(&cxlrd->region_id),