diff --git a/drivers/char/pcmcia/cm4000_cs.c b/drivers/char/pcmcia/cm4000_cs.c
index 02114a0bd0d9d4aadc5a7df96fb93801c6acbfbc..128b2632512d07f693d5925ce97791943cf9e3dd 100644
--- a/drivers/char/pcmcia/cm4000_cs.c
+++ b/drivers/char/pcmcia/cm4000_cs.c
@@ -1981,10 +1981,6 @@ static int __init cmm_init(void)
 	if (!cmm_class)
 		return -1;
 
-	rc = pcmcia_register_driver(&cm4000_driver);
-	if (rc < 0)
-		return rc;
-
 	major = register_chrdev(0, DEVICE_NAME, &cm4000_fops);
 	if (major < 0) {
 		printk(KERN_WARNING MODULE_NAME
@@ -1992,6 +1988,12 @@ static int __init cmm_init(void)
 		return -1;
 	}
 
+	rc = pcmcia_register_driver(&cm4000_driver);
+	if (rc < 0) {
+		unregister_chrdev(major, DEVICE_NAME);
+		return rc;
+	}
+
 	return 0;
 }
 
diff --git a/drivers/char/pcmcia/cm4040_cs.c b/drivers/char/pcmcia/cm4040_cs.c
index 29efa64580a89bf11d8d88050ac471575884cc9e..47a8465bf95beed694105640b1847f5589b8e2a3 100644
--- a/drivers/char/pcmcia/cm4040_cs.c
+++ b/drivers/char/pcmcia/cm4040_cs.c
@@ -724,16 +724,19 @@ static int __init cm4040_init(void)
 	if (!cmx_class)
 		return -1;
 
-	rc = pcmcia_register_driver(&reader_driver);
-	if (rc < 0)
-		return rc;
-
 	major = register_chrdev(0, DEVICE_NAME, &reader_fops);
 	if (major < 0) {
 		printk(KERN_WARNING MODULE_NAME
 			": could not get major number\n");
 		return -1;
 	}
+
+	rc = pcmcia_register_driver(&reader_driver);
+	if (rc < 0) {
+		unregister_chrdev(major, DEVICE_NAME);
+		return rc;
+	}
+
 	return 0;
 }