--- a/sys/dev/sound/pci/cs4281.c
+++ b/sys/dev/sound/pci/cs4281.c
@@ -931,7 +931,12 @@
         return ENXIO;
     }
 
-    /* restore mixer state */
+    /* restore mixer state (mixer_get_devt() returns NULL when
+     * mixer_init() never published a mixer; mixer_reinit would
+     * deref it at mixer.c:829) */
+    if (sc->rch.parent == NULL || sc->pch.parent == NULL)
+	return ENXIO;
+
     if (mixer_reinit(dev) == -1) {
 	device_printf(dev, "unable to reinitialize the mixer\n");
 	return ENXIO;