diff --git a/sound/soc/rockchip/rockchip_i2s.c b/sound/soc/rockchip/rockchip_i2s.c
index 354430f916f9..261f36d4c2fd 100644
--- a/sound/soc/rockchip/rockchip_i2s.c
+++ b/sound/soc/rockchip/rockchip_i2s.c
@@ -790,7 +790,11 @@ static int rockchip_i2s_probe(struct platform_device *pdev)
 
 	i2s->bclk_ratio = 64;
 	i2s->pinctrl = devm_pinctrl_get(&pdev->dev);
-	if (!IS_ERR(i2s->pinctrl)) {
+	if (IS_ERR(i2s->pinctrl)) {
+		if (PTR_ERR(i2s->pinctrl) == -EPROBE_DEFER)
+			return -EPROBE_DEFER;
+		dev_dbg(&pdev->dev, "failed to find i2s pinctrl\n");
+	} else {
 		i2s->bclk_on = pinctrl_lookup_state(i2s->pinctrl, "bclk_on");
 		if (!IS_ERR_OR_NULL(i2s->bclk_on)) {
 			i2s->bclk_off = pinctrl_lookup_state(i2s->pinctrl, "bclk_off");
@@ -799,8 +803,6 @@ static int rockchip_i2s_probe(struct platform_device *pdev)
 				return -EINVAL;
 			}
 		}
-	} else {
-		dev_dbg(&pdev->dev, "failed to find i2s pinctrl\n");
 	}
 
 	i2s_pinctrl_select_bclk_off(i2s);