diff --git a/drivers/i3c/master.c b/drivers/i3c/master.c
index 6cacbca8cdd0..7850287dfe7a 100644
--- a/drivers/i3c/master.c
+++ b/drivers/i3c/master.c
@@ -2307,8 +2307,13 @@ static int i3c_master_i2c_adapter_init(struct i3c_master_controller *master)
 	 * We silently ignore failures here. The bus should keep working
 	 * correctly even if one or more i2c devices are not registered.
 	 */
-	list_for_each_entry(i2cboardinfo, &master->boardinfo.i2c, node)
+	list_for_each_entry(i2cboardinfo, &master->boardinfo.i2c, node) {
+		i2cdev = i3c_master_find_i2c_dev_by_addr(master,
+							 i2cboardinfo->base.addr);
+		if (WARN_ON(!i2cdev))
+			continue;
 		i2cdev->dev = i2c_new_client_device(adap, &i2cboardinfo->base);
+	}
 
 	return 0;
 }