diff --git a/drivers/media/platform/sunxi/sun8i-a83t-mipi-csi2/sun8i_a83t_mipi_csi2.c b/drivers/media/platform/sunxi/sun8i-a83t-mipi-csi2/sun8i_a83t_mipi_csi2.c
index 5e1c25db7bc4..d993c09a4820 100644
--- a/drivers/media/platform/sunxi/sun8i-a83t-mipi-csi2/sun8i_a83t_mipi_csi2.c
+++ b/drivers/media/platform/sunxi/sun8i-a83t-mipi-csi2/sun8i_a83t_mipi_csi2.c
@@ -536,6 +536,7 @@ sun8i_a83t_mipi_csi2_bridge_setup(struct sun8i_a83t_mipi_csi2_device *csi2_dev)
 	struct v4l2_async_notifier *notifier = &bridge->notifier;
 	struct media_pad *pads = bridge->pads;
 	struct device *dev = csi2_dev->dev;
+	bool notifier_registered = false;
 	int ret;
 
 	mutex_init(&bridge->lock);
@@ -573,12 +574,17 @@ sun8i_a83t_mipi_csi2_bridge_setup(struct sun8i_a83t_mipi_csi2_device *csi2_dev)
 	notifier->ops = &sun8i_a83t_mipi_csi2_notifier_ops;
 
 	ret = sun8i_a83t_mipi_csi2_bridge_source_setup(csi2_dev);
-	if (ret)
+	if (ret && ret != -ENODEV)
 		goto error_v4l2_notifier_cleanup;
 
-	ret = v4l2_async_subdev_nf_register(subdev, notifier);
-	if (ret < 0)
-		goto error_v4l2_notifier_cleanup;
+	/* Only register the notifier when a sensor is connected. */
+	if (ret != -ENODEV) {
+		ret = v4l2_async_subdev_nf_register(subdev, notifier);
+		if (ret < 0)
+			goto error_v4l2_notifier_cleanup;
+
+		notifier_registered = true;
+	}
 
 	/* V4L2 Subdev */
 
@@ -589,7 +595,8 @@ sun8i_a83t_mipi_csi2_bridge_setup(struct sun8i_a83t_mipi_csi2_device *csi2_dev)
 	return 0;
 
 error_v4l2_notifier_unregister:
-	v4l2_async_nf_unregister(notifier);
+	if (notifier_registered)
+		v4l2_async_nf_unregister(notifier);
 
 error_v4l2_notifier_cleanup:
 	v4l2_async_nf_cleanup(notifier);