diff --git a/drivers/iio/industrialio-trigger.c b/drivers/iio/industrialio-trigger.c
index d89bf90650d5..26d610d4cbb8 100644
--- a/drivers/iio/industrialio-trigger.c
+++ b/drivers/iio/industrialio-trigger.c
@@ -576,6 +576,8 @@ struct iio_trigger *viio_trigger_alloc(struct device *parent,
 	if (trig->name == NULL)
 		goto free_descs;
 
+	INIT_LIST_HEAD(&trig->list);
+
 	trig->subirq_chip.name = trig->name;
 	trig->subirq_chip.irq_mask = &iio_trig_subirqmask;
 	trig->subirq_chip.irq_unmask = &iio_trig_subirqunmask;
diff --git a/include/linux/iio/trigger.h b/include/linux/iio/trigger.h
index 4c69b144677b..03b1d6863436 100644
--- a/include/linux/iio/trigger.h
+++ b/include/linux/iio/trigger.h
@@ -93,6 +93,11 @@ static inline void iio_trigger_put(struct iio_trigger *trig)
 static inline struct iio_trigger *iio_trigger_get(struct iio_trigger *trig)
 {
 	get_device(&trig->dev);
+
+	WARN_ONCE(list_empty(&trig->list),
+		  "Getting non-registered iio trigger %s is prohibited\n",
+		  trig->name);
+
 	__module_get(trig->owner);
 
 	return trig;