#define VALIDATE_DESC(desc) do { \
        if (!desc) \
                return 0; \
+       if (IS_ERR(desc)) {                                             \
+               pr_warn("%s: invalid GPIO (errorpointer)\n", __func__); \
+               return PTR_ERR(desc); \
+       } \
        if (!desc->gdev) { \
-               pr_warn("%s: invalid GPIO\n", __func__); \
+               pr_warn("%s: invalid GPIO (no device)\n", __func__); \
                return -EINVAL; \
        } \
        if ( !desc->gdev->chip ) { \
 #define VALIDATE_DESC_VOID(desc) do { \
        if (!desc) \
                return; \
+       if (IS_ERR(desc)) {                                             \
+               pr_warn("%s: invalid GPIO (errorpointer)\n", __func__); \
+               return; \
+       } \
        if (!desc->gdev) { \
-               pr_warn("%s: invalid GPIO\n", __func__); \
+               pr_warn("%s: invalid GPIO (no device)\n", __func__); \
                return; \
        } \
        if (!desc->gdev->chip) { \
         * requires this function to not return zero on an invalid descriptor
         * but rather a negative error number.
         */
-       if (!desc || !desc->gdev || !desc->gdev->chip)
+       if (!desc || IS_ERR(desc) || !desc->gdev || !desc->gdev->chip)
                return -EINVAL;
 
        chip = desc->gdev->chip;