diff --git a/drivers/thermal/thermal_core.c b/drivers/thermal/thermal_core.c
index 2f6ecb7be8de..0675df54c8e6 100644
--- a/drivers/thermal/thermal_core.c
+++ b/drivers/thermal/thermal_core.c
@@ -777,10 +777,7 @@ static void thermal_release(struct device *dev)
 	}
 }
 
-static struct class thermal_class = {
-	.name = "thermal",
-	.dev_release = thermal_release,
-};
+static struct class *thermal_class;
 
 static inline
 void print_bind_err_msg(struct thermal_zone_device *tz,
@@ -883,6 +880,9 @@ __thermal_cooling_device_register(struct device_node *np,
 	    !ops->set_cur_state)
 		return ERR_PTR(-EINVAL);
 
+	if (!thermal_class)
+		return ERR_PTR(-ENODEV);
+
 	cdev = kzalloc(sizeof(*cdev), GFP_KERNEL);
 	if (!cdev)
 		return ERR_PTR(-ENOMEM);
@@ -904,7 +904,7 @@ __thermal_cooling_device_register(struct device_node *np,
 	cdev->np = np;
 	cdev->ops = ops;
 	cdev->updated = false;
-	cdev->device.class = &thermal_class;
+	cdev->device.class = thermal_class;
 	cdev->devdata = devdata;
 
 	ret = cdev->ops->get_max_state(cdev, &cdev->max_state);
@@ -1256,6 +1256,9 @@ thermal_zone_device_register_with_trips(const char *type, struct thermal_trip *t
 	if (num_trips > 0 && (!ops->get_trip_type || !ops->get_trip_temp) && !trips)
 		return ERR_PTR(-EINVAL);
 
+	if (!thermal_class)
+		return ERR_PTR(-ENODEV);
+
 	tz = kzalloc(sizeof(*tz), GFP_KERNEL);
 	if (!tz)
 		return ERR_PTR(-ENOMEM);
@@ -1277,7 +1280,7 @@ thermal_zone_device_register_with_trips(const char *type, struct thermal_trip *t
 
 	tz->ops = ops;
 	tz->tzp = tzp;
-	tz->device.class = &thermal_class;
+	tz->device.class = thermal_class;
 	tz->devdata = devdata;
 	tz->trips = trips;
 	tz->num_trips = num_trips;
@@ -1522,9 +1525,21 @@ static int __init thermal_init(void)
 	if (result)
 		goto unregister_netlink;
 
-	result = class_register(&thermal_class);
-	if (result)
+	thermal_class = kzalloc(sizeof(*thermal_class), GFP_KERNEL);
+	if (!thermal_class) {
+		result = -ENOMEM;
 		goto unregister_governors;
+	}
+
+	thermal_class->name = "thermal";
+	thermal_class->dev_release = thermal_release;
+
+	result = class_register(thermal_class);
+	if (result) {
+		kfree(thermal_class);
+		thermal_class = NULL;
+		goto unregister_governors;
+	}
 
 	result = register_pm_notifier(&thermal_pm_nb);
 	if (result)