diff --git a/drivers/hwmon/hwmon.c b/drivers/hwmon/hwmon.c
index 3501a3ead4ba6..3ae961986fc31 100644
--- a/drivers/hwmon/hwmon.c
+++ b/drivers/hwmon/hwmon.c
@@ -214,12 +214,14 @@ static int hwmon_thermal_add_sensor(struct device *dev, int index)
 
 	tzd = devm_thermal_zone_of_sensor_register(dev, index, tdata,
 						   &hwmon_thermal_ops);
-	/*
-	 * If CONFIG_THERMAL_OF is disabled, this returns -ENODEV,
-	 * so ignore that error but forward any other error.
-	 */
-	if (IS_ERR(tzd) && (PTR_ERR(tzd) != -ENODEV))
-		return PTR_ERR(tzd);
+	if (IS_ERR(tzd)) {
+		if (PTR_ERR(tzd) != -ENODEV)
+			return PTR_ERR(tzd);
+		dev_info(dev, "temp%d_input not attached to any thermal zone\n",
+			 index + 1);
+		devm_kfree(dev, tdata);
+		return 0;
+	}
 
 	err = devm_add_action(dev, hwmon_thermal_remove_sensor, &tdata->node);
 	if (err)