diff --git a/drivers/net/ppp/ppp_generic.c b/drivers/net/ppp/ppp_generic.c
index 255a5def56e9..fa2a9bdd1866 100644
--- a/drivers/net/ppp/ppp_generic.c
+++ b/drivers/net/ppp/ppp_generic.c
@@ -3161,6 +3161,15 @@ ppp_connect_channel(struct channel *pch, int unit)
 		goto outl;
 
 	ppp_lock(ppp);
+	spin_lock_bh(&pch->downl);
+	if (!pch->chan) {
+		/* Don't connect unregistered channels */
+		spin_unlock_bh(&pch->downl);
+		ppp_unlock(ppp);
+		ret = -ENOTCONN;
+		goto outl;
+	}
+	spin_unlock_bh(&pch->downl);
 	if (pch->file.hdrlen > ppp->file.hdrlen)
 		ppp->file.hdrlen = pch->file.hdrlen;
 	hdrlen = pch->file.hdrlen + 2;	/* for protocol bytes */