diff --git a/drivers/nvmem/nvmem-sysfs.c b/drivers/nvmem/nvmem-sysfs.c
index 9e0c429cd08a..8759c4470012 100644
--- a/drivers/nvmem/nvmem-sysfs.c
+++ b/drivers/nvmem/nvmem-sysfs.c
@@ -56,6 +56,9 @@ static ssize_t bin_attr_nvmem_read(struct file *filp, struct kobject *kobj,
 
 	count = round_down(count, nvmem->word_size);
 
+	if (!nvmem->reg_read)
+		return -EPERM;
+
 	rc = nvmem->reg_read(nvmem->priv, pos, buf, count);
 
 	if (rc)
@@ -90,6 +93,9 @@ static ssize_t bin_attr_nvmem_write(struct file *filp, struct kobject *kobj,
 
 	count = round_down(count, nvmem->word_size);
 
+	if (!nvmem->reg_write)
+		return -EPERM;
+
 	rc = nvmem->reg_write(nvmem->priv, pos, buf, count);
 
 	if (rc)