diff --git a/drivers/mmc/host/atmel-mci.c b/drivers/mmc/host/atmel-mci.c
index 420aca642b14..456c077455cb 100644
--- a/drivers/mmc/host/atmel-mci.c
+++ b/drivers/mmc/host/atmel-mci.c
@@ -2314,6 +2314,8 @@ static int __init atmci_probe(struct platform_device *pdev)
 
 	platform_set_drvdata(pdev, host);
 
+	setup_timer(&host->timer, atmci_timeout_timer, (unsigned long)host);
+
 	/* We need at least one slot to succeed */
 	nr_slots = 0;
 	ret = -ENODEV;
@@ -2352,8 +2354,6 @@ static int __init atmci_probe(struct platform_device *pdev)
 		}
 	}
 
-	setup_timer(&host->timer, atmci_timeout_timer, (unsigned long)host);
-
 	dev_info(&pdev->dev,
 			"Atmel MCI controller at 0x%08lx irq %d, %u slots\n",
 			host->mapbase, irq, nr_slots);