diff --git a/sound/soc/pxa/pxa-ssp.c b/sound/soc/pxa/pxa-ssp.c
index f8054c1c59fa..3a0abcb0bfbd 100644
--- a/sound/soc/pxa/pxa-ssp.c
+++ b/sound/soc/pxa/pxa-ssp.c
@@ -769,13 +769,10 @@ static int pxa_ssp_probe(struct snd_soc_dai *dai)
 			goto err_priv;
 		}
 
-		priv->extclk = devm_clk_get(dev, "extclk");
+		priv->extclk = devm_clk_get_optional(dev, "extclk");
 		if (IS_ERR(priv->extclk)) {
 			ret = PTR_ERR(priv->extclk);
-			if (ret == -EPROBE_DEFER)
-				goto err_priv;
-
-			priv->extclk = NULL;
+			goto err_priv;
 		}
 	} else {
 		priv->ssp = pxa_ssp_request(dai->id + 1, "SoC audio");