diff --git a/kernel/time/clocksource.c b/kernel/time/clocksource.c
index 78c91b0037f7..f1253f5795c6 100644
--- a/kernel/time/clocksource.c
+++ b/kernel/time/clocksource.c
@@ -1565,8 +1565,12 @@ static int __init init_clocksource_sysfs(void)
 {
 	int error = subsys_system_register(&clocksource_subsys, NULL);
 
-	if (!error)
-		error = device_register(&device_clocksource);
+	if (error)
+		return error;
+
+	error = device_register(&device_clocksource);
+	if (error)
+		bus_unregister(&clocksource_subsys);
 
 	return error;
 }