diff --git a/drivers/media/v4l2-core/v4l2-ctrls-core.c b/drivers/media/v4l2-core/v4l2-ctrls-core.c
index 9caca56478d1..661a3a25da52 100644
--- a/drivers/media/v4l2-core/v4l2-ctrls-core.c
+++ b/drivers/media/v4l2-core/v4l2-ctrls-core.c
@@ -2529,7 +2529,10 @@ void v4l2_ctrl_cluster(unsigned ncontrols, struct v4l2_ctrl **controls)
 	int i;
 
 	/* The first control is the master control and it must not be NULL */
-	if (WARN_ON(ncontrols == 0 || controls[0] == NULL))
+	if (WARN_ON(ncontrols == 0))
+		return;
+
+	if (!controls[0])
 		return;
 
 	for (i = 0; i < ncontrols; i++) {
@@ -2551,8 +2554,13 @@ void v4l2_ctrl_auto_cluster(unsigned ncontrols, struct v4l2_ctrl **controls,
 	u32 flag = 0;
 	int i;
 
+	if (WARN_ON(ncontrols <= 1))
+		return;
+
+	if (!master)
+		return;
+
 	v4l2_ctrl_cluster(ncontrols, controls);
-	WARN_ON(ncontrols <= 1);
 	WARN_ON(manual_val < master->minimum || manual_val > master->maximum);
 	WARN_ON(set_volatile && !has_op(master, g_volatile_ctrl));
 	master->is_auto = true;
diff --git a/include/media/v4l2-ctrls.h b/include/media/v4l2-ctrls.h
index 327976b14d50..cec9217d97ac 100644
--- a/include/media/v4l2-ctrls.h
+++ b/include/media/v4l2-ctrls.h
@@ -834,6 +834,9 @@ bool v4l2_ctrl_radio_filter(const struct v4l2_ctrl *ctrl);
  *
  * @ncontrols:	The number of controls in this cluster.
  * @controls:	The cluster control array of size @ncontrols.
+ *
+ *		If controls[0] is NULL, then this function does nothing and just
+ *		returns.
  */
 void v4l2_ctrl_cluster(unsigned int ncontrols, struct v4l2_ctrl **controls);
 
@@ -845,6 +848,9 @@ void v4l2_ctrl_cluster(unsigned int ncontrols, struct v4l2_ctrl **controls);
  * @ncontrols:	The number of controls in this cluster.
  * @controls:	The cluster control array of size @ncontrols. The first control
  *		must be the 'auto' control (e.g. autogain, autoexposure, etc.)
+ *
+ *		If controls[0] is NULL, then this function does nothing and just
+ *		returns.
  * @manual_val: The value for the first control in the cluster that equals the
  *		manual setting.
  * @set_volatile: If true, then all controls except the first auto control will