diff --git a/drivers/regulator/gpio-regulator.c b/drivers/regulator/gpio-regulator.c
index a8718e98674a..83e89e5d4752 100644
--- a/drivers/regulator/gpio-regulator.c
+++ b/drivers/regulator/gpio-regulator.c
@@ -162,6 +162,8 @@ of_get_gpio_regulator_config(struct device *dev, struct device_node *np,
 	of_property_read_u32(np, "startup-delay-us", &config->startup_delay);
 
 	config->enable_gpio = of_get_named_gpio(np, "enable-gpio", 0);
+	if (config->enable_gpio == -EPROBE_DEFER)
+		return ERR_PTR(-EPROBE_DEFER);
 
 	/* Fetch GPIOs. - optional property*/
 	ret = of_gpio_count(np);