diff --git a/drivers/base/core.c b/drivers/base/core.c
index 972d42dedfc8..edde79fc3d33 100644
--- a/drivers/base/core.c
+++ b/drivers/base/core.c
@@ -649,6 +649,17 @@ struct device_link *device_link_add(struct device *consumer,
 		goto out;
 	}
 
+	/*
+	 * SYNC_STATE_ONLY links are useless once a consumer device has probed.
+	 * So, only create it if the consumer hasn't probed yet.
+	 */
+	if (flags & DL_FLAG_SYNC_STATE_ONLY &&
+	    consumer->links.status != DL_DEV_NO_DRIVER &&
+	    consumer->links.status != DL_DEV_PROBING) {
+		link = NULL;
+		goto out;
+	}
+
 	/*
 	 * DL_FLAG_AUTOREMOVE_SUPPLIER indicates that the link will be needed
 	 * longer than for DL_FLAG_AUTOREMOVE_CONSUMER and setting them both