diff --git a/drivers/mmc/core/host.c b/drivers/mmc/core/host.c
index 848b3453517e..60c2ca58dec3 100644
--- a/drivers/mmc/core/host.c
+++ b/drivers/mmc/core/host.c
@@ -403,6 +403,16 @@ again:
 
 EXPORT_SYMBOL(mmc_alloc_host);
 
+static int mmc_validate_host_caps(struct mmc_host *host)
+{
+	if (host->caps & MMC_CAP_SDIO_IRQ && !host->ops->enable_sdio_irq) {
+		dev_warn(host->parent, "missing ->enable_sdio_irq() ops\n");
+		return -EINVAL;
+	}
+
+	return 0;
+}
+
 /**
  *	mmc_add_host - initialise host hardware
  *	@host: mmc host
@@ -415,8 +425,9 @@ int mmc_add_host(struct mmc_host *host)
 {
 	int err;
 
-	WARN_ON((host->caps & MMC_CAP_SDIO_IRQ) &&
-		!host->ops->enable_sdio_irq);
+	err = mmc_validate_host_caps(host);
+	if (err)
+		return err;
 
 	err = device_add(&host->class_dev);
 	if (err)