diff --git a/drivers/media/cec/cec-core.c b/drivers/media/cec/cec-core.c
index 61adc28ec8ec..ef80af1f7e5a 100644
--- a/drivers/media/cec/cec-core.c
+++ b/drivers/media/cec/cec-core.c
@@ -305,8 +305,8 @@ int cec_register_adapter(struct cec_adapter *adap,
 	adap->devnode.dev.parent = parent;
 
 #if IS_REACHABLE(CONFIG_RC_CORE)
-	adap->rc->dev.parent = parent;
 	if (adap->capabilities & CEC_CAP_RC) {
+		adap->rc->dev.parent = parent;
 		res = rc_register_device(adap->rc);
 
 		if (res) {