diff --git a/arch/xtensa/platforms/iss/console.c b/arch/xtensa/platforms/iss/console.c
index af81a62faba6..e7faea3d73d3 100644
--- a/arch/xtensa/platforms/iss/console.c
+++ b/arch/xtensa/platforms/iss/console.c
@@ -168,9 +168,13 @@ static const struct tty_operations serial_ops = {
 
 int __init rs_init(void)
 {
-	tty_port_init(&serial_port);
+	int ret;
 
 	serial_driver = alloc_tty_driver(SERIAL_MAX_NUM_LINES);
+	if (!serial_driver)
+		return -ENOMEM;
+
+	tty_port_init(&serial_port);
 
 	pr_info("%s %s\n", serial_name, serial_version);
 
@@ -190,8 +194,15 @@ int __init rs_init(void)
 	tty_set_operations(serial_driver, &serial_ops);
 	tty_port_link_device(&serial_port, serial_driver, 0);
 
-	if (tty_register_driver(serial_driver))
-		panic("Couldn't register serial driver\n");
+	ret = tty_register_driver(serial_driver);
+	if (ret) {
+		pr_err("Couldn't register serial driver\n");
+		tty_driver_kref_put(serial_driver);
+		tty_port_destroy(&serial_port);
+
+		return ret;
+	}
+
 	return 0;
 }