diff --git a/drivers/media/v4l2-core/v4l2-subdev.c b/drivers/media/v4l2-core/v4l2-subdev.c
index 7c5812d55315..d3196042d5c5 100644
--- a/drivers/media/v4l2-core/v4l2-subdev.c
+++ b/drivers/media/v4l2-core/v4l2-subdev.c
@@ -1443,11 +1443,15 @@ int v4l2_subdev_link_validate(struct media_link *link)
 	bool states_locked;
 	int ret;
 
-	if (!is_media_entity_v4l2_subdev(link->sink->entity) ||
-	    !is_media_entity_v4l2_subdev(link->source->entity)) {
-		pr_warn_once("%s of link '%s':%u->'%s':%u is not a V4L2 sub-device, driver bug!\n",
-			     !is_media_entity_v4l2_subdev(link->sink->entity) ?
-			     "sink" : "source",
+	/*
+	 * Links are validated in the context of the sink entity. Usage of this
+	 * helper on a sink that is not a subdev is a clear driver bug.
+	 */
+	if (WARN_ON_ONCE(!is_media_entity_v4l2_subdev(link->sink->entity)))
+		return -EINVAL;
+
+	if (!is_media_entity_v4l2_subdev(link->source->entity)) {
+		pr_warn_once("source of link '%s':%u->'%s':%u is not a V4L2 sub-device, driver bug!\n",
 			     link->source->entity->name, link->source->index,
 			     link->sink->entity->name, link->sink->index);
 		return 0;