diff --git a/drivers/platform/x86/acerhdf.c b/drivers/platform/x86/acerhdf.c
index 19fc8ff2225c..b6aa6e5514f4 100644
--- a/drivers/platform/x86/acerhdf.c
+++ b/drivers/platform/x86/acerhdf.c
@@ -334,7 +334,10 @@ static void acerhdf_check_param(struct thermal_zone_device *thermal)
 		}
 		if (verbose)
 			pr_notice("interval changed to: %d\n", interval);
-		thermal->polling_delay = interval*1000;
+
+		if (thermal)
+			thermal->polling_delay = interval*1000;
+
 		prev_interval = interval;
 	}
 }
@@ -349,8 +352,6 @@ static int acerhdf_get_ec_temp(struct thermal_zone_device *thermal, int *t)
 {
 	int temp, err = 0;
 
-	acerhdf_check_param(thermal);
-
 	err = acerhdf_get_temp(&temp);
 	if (err)
 		return err;
@@ -823,8 +824,21 @@ MODULE_ALIAS("dmi:*:*Acer*:pnExtensa*5420*:");
 module_init(acerhdf_init);
 module_exit(acerhdf_exit);
 
+static int interval_set_uint(const char *val, const struct kernel_param *kp)
+{
+	int ret;
+
+	ret = param_set_uint(val, kp);
+	if (ret)
+		return ret;
+
+	acerhdf_check_param(thz_dev);
+
+	return 0;
+}
+
 static const struct kernel_param_ops interval_ops = {
-	.set = param_set_uint,
+	.set = interval_set_uint,
 	.get = param_get_uint,
 };