struct dock_station *dock_station;
        struct platform_device *dock_device;
 
+       dock_device =
+               platform_device_register_simple("dock",
+                       dock_station_count, NULL, 0);
+       if (IS_ERR(dock_device))
+               return PTR_ERR(dock_device);
+
        /* allocate & initialize the dock_station private data */
        dock_station = kzalloc(sizeof(*dock_station), GFP_KERNEL);
        if (!dock_station)
                return -ENOMEM;
        dock_station->handle = handle;
+       dock_station->dock_device = dock_device;
        dock_station->last_dock_time = jiffies - HZ;
        INIT_LIST_HEAD(&dock_station->dependent_devices);
        INIT_LIST_HEAD(&dock_station->hotplug_devices);
        mutex_init(&dock_station->hp_lock);
        ATOMIC_INIT_NOTIFIER_HEAD(&dock_notifier_list);
 
-       /* initialize platform device stuff */
-       dock_station->dock_device =
-               platform_device_register_simple("dock",
-                       dock_station_count, NULL, 0);
-       dock_device = dock_station->dock_device;
-       if (IS_ERR(dock_device)) {
-               ret = PTR_ERR(dock_device);
-               goto out;
-       }
        platform_device_add_data(dock_device, &dock_station,
                sizeof(struct dock_station *));