diff --git a/drivers/i3c/master.c b/drivers/i3c/master.c
index 925e1ed18a2a..d79cd6d54b3a 100644
--- a/drivers/i3c/master.c
+++ b/drivers/i3c/master.c
@@ -2160,7 +2160,7 @@ static int i3c_master_i2c_adapter_init(struct i3c_master_controller *master)
 	 * correctly even if one or more i2c devices are not registered.
 	 */
 	i3c_bus_for_each_i2cdev(&master->bus, i2cdev)
-		i2cdev->dev = i2c_new_device(adap, &i2cdev->boardinfo->base);
+		i2cdev->dev = i2c_new_client_device(adap, &i2cdev->boardinfo->base);
 
 	return 0;
 }