diff --git a/drivers/net/ethernet/mellanox/mlx5/core/en_main.c b/drivers/net/ethernet/mellanox/mlx5/core/en_main.c
index 41cd22a223dcc..277f4de303751 100644
--- a/drivers/net/ethernet/mellanox/mlx5/core/en_main.c
+++ b/drivers/net/ethernet/mellanox/mlx5/core/en_main.c
@@ -4241,7 +4241,8 @@ struct net_device *mlx5e_create_netdev(struct mlx5_core_dev *mdev,
 	return netdev;
 
 err_cleanup_nic:
-	profile->cleanup(priv);
+	if (profile->cleanup)
+		profile->cleanup(priv);
 	free_netdev(netdev);
 
 	return NULL;