diff --git a/drivers/dma/imx-sdma.c b/drivers/dma/imx-sdma.c
index 99d9f431ae2c..ba72fcfbebfe 100644
--- a/drivers/dma/imx-sdma.c
+++ b/drivers/dma/imx-sdma.c
@@ -2096,27 +2096,6 @@ static int sdma_probe(struct platform_device *pdev)
 	if (pdata && pdata->script_addrs)
 		sdma_add_scripts(sdma, pdata->script_addrs);
 
-	if (pdata) {
-		ret = sdma_get_firmware(sdma, pdata->fw_name);
-		if (ret)
-			dev_warn(&pdev->dev, "failed to get firmware from platform data\n");
-	} else {
-		/*
-		 * Because that device tree does not encode ROM script address,
-		 * the RAM script in firmware is mandatory for device tree
-		 * probe, otherwise it fails.
-		 */
-		ret = of_property_read_string(np, "fsl,sdma-ram-script-name",
-					      &fw_name);
-		if (ret)
-			dev_warn(&pdev->dev, "failed to get firmware name\n");
-		else {
-			ret = sdma_get_firmware(sdma, fw_name);
-			if (ret)
-				dev_warn(&pdev->dev, "failed to get firmware from device tree\n");
-		}
-	}
-
 	sdma->dma_device.dev = &pdev->dev;
 
 	sdma->dma_device.device_alloc_chan_resources = sdma_alloc_chan_resources;
@@ -2161,6 +2140,33 @@ static int sdma_probe(struct platform_device *pdev)
 		of_node_put(spba_bus);
 	}
 
+	/*
+	 * Kick off firmware loading as the very last step:
+	 * attempt to load firmware only if we're not on the error path, because
+	 * the firmware callback requires a fully functional and allocated sdma
+	 * instance.
+	 */
+	if (pdata) {
+		ret = sdma_get_firmware(sdma, pdata->fw_name);
+		if (ret)
+			dev_warn(&pdev->dev, "failed to get firmware from platform data\n");
+	} else {
+		/*
+		 * Because that device tree does not encode ROM script address,
+		 * the RAM script in firmware is mandatory for device tree
+		 * probe, otherwise it fails.
+		 */
+		ret = of_property_read_string(np, "fsl,sdma-ram-script-name",
+					      &fw_name);
+		if (ret) {
+			dev_warn(&pdev->dev, "failed to get firmware name\n");
+		} else {
+			ret = sdma_get_firmware(sdma, fw_name);
+			if (ret)
+				dev_warn(&pdev->dev, "failed to get firmware from device tree\n");
+		}
+	}
+
 	return 0;
 
 err_register: