diff --git a/drivers/watchdog/sch311x_wdt.c b/drivers/watchdog/sch311x_wdt.c
index 9c40f48..0461858 100644
--- a/drivers/watchdog/sch311x_wdt.c
+++ b/drivers/watchdog/sch311x_wdt.c
@@ -425,6 +425,8 @@
 	val = therm_trip ? 0x06 : 0x04;
 	outb(val, sch311x_wdt_data.runtime_reg + RESGEN);
 
+	sch311x_wdt_miscdev.parent = dev;
+
 	err = misc_register(&sch311x_wdt_miscdev);
 	if (err != 0) {
 		dev_err(dev, "cannot register miscdev on minor=%d (err=%d)\n",
@@ -432,8 +434,6 @@
 		goto exit_release_region3;
 	}
 
-	sch311x_wdt_miscdev.parent = dev;
-
 	dev_info(dev,
 		"SMSC SCH311x WDT initialized. timeout=%d sec (nowayout=%d)\n",
 		timeout, nowayout);