diff --git a/drivers/media/rc/lirc_dev.c b/drivers/media/rc/lirc_dev.c
index 18b4daed8065..17d2723148b7 100644
--- a/drivers/media/rc/lirc_dev.c
+++ b/drivers/media/rc/lirc_dev.c
@@ -651,6 +651,9 @@ ssize_t lirc_dev_fop_read(struct file *file,
 		return -ENODEV;
 	}
 
+	if (!LIRC_CAN_REC(ir->d.features))
+		return -EINVAL;
+
 	dev_dbg(ir->d.dev, LOGHEAD "read called\n", ir->d.name, ir->d.minor);
 
 	buf = kzalloc(ir->chunk_size, GFP_KERNEL);