diff --git a/drivers/nvmem/core.c b/drivers/nvmem/core.c
index b5b0cdc21d01..514d1dfc5630 100644
--- a/drivers/nvmem/core.c
+++ b/drivers/nvmem/core.c
@@ -936,6 +936,10 @@ struct nvmem_cell *nvmem_cell_get(struct device *dev, const char *cell_id)
 			return cell;
 	}
 
+	/* NULL cell_id only allowed for device tree; invalid otherwise */
+	if (!cell_id)
+		return ERR_PTR(-EINVAL);
+
 	return nvmem_cell_get_from_list(cell_id);
 }
 EXPORT_SYMBOL_GPL(nvmem_cell_get);