diff --git a/drivers/firmware/qcom_scm.c b/drivers/firmware/qcom_scm.c
index 7a104d31ef0f..893f953eaccf 100644
--- a/drivers/firmware/qcom_scm.c
+++ b/drivers/firmware/qcom_scm.c
@@ -338,10 +338,10 @@ static int qcom_scm_probe(struct platform_device *pdev)
 	if (clks & SCM_HAS_CORE_CLK) {
 		scm->core_clk = devm_clk_get(&pdev->dev, "core");
 		if (IS_ERR(scm->core_clk)) {
-			if (PTR_ERR(scm->core_clk) == -EPROBE_DEFER)
-				return PTR_ERR(scm->core_clk);
-
-			scm->core_clk = NULL;
+			if (PTR_ERR(scm->core_clk) != -EPROBE_DEFER)
+				dev_err(&pdev->dev,
+					"failed to acquire core clk\n");
+			return PTR_ERR(scm->core_clk);
 		}
 	}