diff --git a/drivers/media/v4l2-core/v4l2-async.c b/drivers/media/v4l2-core/v4l2-async.c
index 888a2e213b08..f36d60e6ff41 100644
--- a/drivers/media/v4l2-core/v4l2-async.c
+++ b/drivers/media/v4l2-core/v4l2-async.c
@@ -898,9 +898,18 @@ void v4l2_async_unregister_subdev(struct v4l2_subdev *sd)
 	sd->subdev_notifier = NULL;
 
 	if (sd->asc_list.next) {
-		list_for_each_entry_safe(asc, asc_tmp, &sd->asc_list,
-					 asc_subdev_entry) {
-			v4l2_async_unbind_subdev_one(asc->notifier, asc);
+		if (list_empty(&sd->asc_list)) {
+			/*
+			 * If the sub-device was registered through other means
+			 * than v4l2-async, there are no async connections but
+			 * the sub-device may still well be registered.
+			 * Unregister it now.
+			 */
+			v4l2_device_unregister_subdev(sd);
+		} else {
+			list_for_each_entry_safe(asc, asc_tmp, &sd->asc_list,
+						 asc_subdev_entry)
+				v4l2_async_unbind_subdev_one(asc->notifier, asc);
 		}
 	}