diff --git a/drivers/thermal/sun8i_thermal.c b/drivers/thermal/sun8i_thermal.c
index 63a7d2df3d6e..3203d8bd13a8 100644
--- a/drivers/thermal/sun8i_thermal.c
+++ b/drivers/thermal/sun8i_thermal.c
@@ -195,6 +195,9 @@ static irqreturn_t sun8i_irq_thread(int irq, void *data)
 	int i;
 
 	for_each_set_bit(i, &irq_bitmap, tmdev->chip->sensor_num) {
+		/* We allow some zones to not register. */
+		if (IS_ERR(tmdev->sensor[i].tzd))
+			continue;
 		thermal_zone_device_update(tmdev->sensor[i].tzd,
 					   THERMAL_EVENT_UNSPECIFIED);
 	}
@@ -531,8 +534,17 @@ static int sun8i_ths_register(struct ths_device *tmdev)
 						      i,
 						      &tmdev->sensor[i],
 						      &ths_ops);
-		if (IS_ERR(tmdev->sensor[i].tzd))
-			return PTR_ERR(tmdev->sensor[i].tzd);
+
+		/*
+		 * If an individual zone fails to register for reasons
+		 * other than probe deferral (eg, a bad DT) then carry
+		 * on, other zones might register successfully.
+		 */
+		if (IS_ERR(tmdev->sensor[i].tzd)) {
+			if (PTR_ERR(tmdev->sensor[i].tzd) == -EPROBE_DEFER)
+				return PTR_ERR(tmdev->sensor[i].tzd);
+			continue;
+		}
 
 		devm_thermal_add_hwmon_sysfs(tmdev->dev, tmdev->sensor[i].tzd);
 	}