diff --git a/drivers/cpufreq/cpufreq.c b/drivers/cpufreq/cpufreq.c
index d45cf584d23b..5ff82dfd56b3 100644
--- a/drivers/cpufreq/cpufreq.c
+++ b/drivers/cpufreq/cpufreq.c
@@ -2269,6 +2269,9 @@ static int cpufreq_cpu_callback(struct notifier_block *nfb,
 {
 	unsigned int cpu = (unsigned long)hcpu;
 
+	if (!cpufreq_driver)
+		return NOTIFY_OK;
+
 	switch (action & ~CPU_TASKS_FROZEN) {
 	case CPU_ONLINE:
 		cpufreq_online(cpu);
@@ -2435,6 +2438,9 @@ int cpufreq_register_driver(struct cpufreq_driver *driver_data)
 
 	pr_debug("trying to register driver %s\n", driver_data->name);
 
+	/* Register for hotplug notifers before blocking hotplug. */
+	register_hotcpu_notifier(&cpufreq_cpu_notifier);
+
 	/* Protect against concurrent CPU online/offline. */
 	get_online_cpus();
 
@@ -2466,7 +2472,6 @@ int cpufreq_register_driver(struct cpufreq_driver *driver_data)
 		goto err_if_unreg;
 	}
 
-	register_hotcpu_notifier(&cpufreq_cpu_notifier);
 	pr_info("driver %s up and running\n", driver_data->name);
 
 out: