diff --git a/drivers/accessibility/speakup/speakup_soft.c b/drivers/accessibility/speakup/speakup_soft.c
index 1ced2721513e..99f1d4ac426a 100644
--- a/drivers/accessibility/speakup/speakup_soft.c
+++ b/drivers/accessibility/speakup/speakup_soft.c
@@ -397,6 +397,7 @@ static int softsynth_probe(struct spk_synth *synth)
 	synthu_device.name = "softsynthu";
 	synthu_device.fops = &softsynthu_fops;
 	if (misc_register(&synthu_device)) {
+		misc_deregister(&synth_device);
 		pr_warn("Couldn't initialize miscdevice /dev/softsynthu.\n");
 		return -ENODEV;
 	}