diff --git a/drivers/nvdimm/region_devs.c b/drivers/nvdimm/region_devs.c
index fa37afcd43ff..174a418cb171 100644
--- a/drivers/nvdimm/region_devs.c
+++ b/drivers/nvdimm/region_devs.c
@@ -560,10 +560,17 @@ static ssize_t region_badblocks_show(struct device *dev,
 		struct device_attribute *attr, char *buf)
 {
 	struct nd_region *nd_region = to_nd_region(dev);
+	ssize_t rc;
 
-	return badblocks_show(&nd_region->bb, buf, 0);
+	device_lock(dev);
+	if (dev->driver)
+		rc = badblocks_show(&nd_region->bb, buf, 0);
+	else
+		rc = -ENXIO;
+	device_unlock(dev);
+
+	return rc;
 }
-
 static DEVICE_ATTR(badblocks, 0444, region_badblocks_show, NULL);
 
 static ssize_t resource_show(struct device *dev,