diff --git a/drivers/mtd/nand/atmel_nand.c b/drivers/mtd/nand/atmel_nand.c
index 19d1e9d..0239fe6 100644
--- a/drivers/mtd/nand/atmel_nand.c
+++ b/drivers/mtd/nand/atmel_nand.c
@@ -123,6 +123,7 @@ struct atmel_nand_host {
 	struct dma_chan		*dma_chan;
 
 	struct atmel_nfc	*nfc;
+	bool			wait_for_nfc;
 
 	bool			has_pmecc;
 	u8			pmecc_corr_cap;
@@ -1423,6 +1424,12 @@ static void atmel_nand_hwctl(struct mtd_info *mtd, int mode)
 		ecc_writel(host->ecc, CR, ATMEL_ECC_RST);
 }
 
+static const struct of_device_id atmel_nand_nfc_match[] = {
+	{ .compatible = "atmel,sama5d3-nfc" },
+	{ /* sentinel */ }
+};
+MODULE_DEVICE_TABLE(of, atmel_nand_nfc_match);
+
 static int atmel_of_init_port(struct atmel_nand_host *host,
 			      struct device_node *np)
 {
@@ -1431,6 +1438,7 @@ static int atmel_of_init_port(struct atmel_nand_host *host,
 	int ecc_mode;
 	struct atmel_nand_data *board = &host->board;
 	enum of_gpio_flags flags = 0;
+	struct device_node *child;
 
 	if (of_property_read_u32(np, "atmel,nand-addr-offset", &val) == 0) {
 		if (val >= 32) {
@@ -1467,8 +1475,30 @@ static int atmel_of_init_port(struct atmel_nand_host *host,
 
 	host->has_pmecc = of_property_read_bool(np, "atmel,has-pmecc");
 
-	/* load the nfc driver if there is */
-	of_platform_populate(np, NULL, NULL, host->dev);
+	/*
+	 * Backward compatibility with DTs defining the NFC node as their
+	 * child.
+	 * The new model reference the NFC so that we can define several
+	 * chip controlled by the same controller.
+	 */
+	for_each_available_child_of_node(np, child) {
+		/*
+		 * If we find an NFC node under the NAND node, then populate
+		 * the device so that it can be probed, and wait for it.
+		 */
+		if (of_match_node(atmel_nand_nfc_match, child)) {
+			of_platform_populate(np, NULL, NULL, host->dev);
+			host->wait_for_nfc = true;
+			break;
+		}
+	}
+
+	/*
+	 * If there's an atmel,nfc property we should access the NAND
+	 * through the NFC.
+	 */
+	if (of_property_read_bool(np, "atmel,nfc"))
+		host->wait_for_nfc = true;
 
 	if (!(board->ecc_mode == NAND_ECC_HW) || !host->has_pmecc)
 		return 0;	/* Not using PMECC */
@@ -2032,10 +2062,6 @@ static int atmel_nand_probe(struct platform_device *pdev)
 	if (!host)
 		return -ENOMEM;
 
-	res = platform_driver_register(&atmel_nand_nfc_driver);
-	if (res)
-		dev_err(&pdev->dev, "atmel_nand: can't register NFC driver\n");
-
 	mem = platform_get_resource(pdev, IORESOURCE_MEM, 0);
 	host->io_base = devm_ioremap_resource(&pdev->dev, mem);
 	if (IS_ERR(host->io_base)) {
@@ -2089,6 +2115,13 @@ static int atmel_nand_probe(struct platform_device *pdev)
 			goto err_nand_ioremap;
 		}
 	} else {
+		/*
+		 * If the NFC is not initialized (or not probed) and the device
+		 * is asking to be accessed through the NFC then defer the
+		 * probe.
+		 */
+		if (host->wait_for_nfc)
+			return -EPROBE_DEFER;
 		res = atmel_nand_set_enable_ready_pins(mtd);
 		if (res)
 			goto err_nand_ioremap;
@@ -2230,8 +2263,6 @@ static int atmel_nand_remove(struct platform_device *pdev)
 	if (host->dma_chan)
 		dma_release_channel(host->dma_chan);
 
-	platform_driver_unregister(&atmel_nand_nfc_driver);
-
 	return 0;
 }
 
@@ -2303,12 +2334,6 @@ static int atmel_nand_nfc_remove(struct platform_device *pdev)
 	return 0;
 }
 
-static const struct of_device_id atmel_nand_nfc_match[] = {
-	{ .compatible = "atmel,sama5d3-nfc" },
-	{ /* sentinel */ }
-};
-MODULE_DEVICE_TABLE(of, atmel_nand_nfc_match);
-
 static struct platform_driver atmel_nand_nfc_driver = {
 	.driver = {
 		.name = "atmel_nand_nfc",
@@ -2329,7 +2354,28 @@ static struct platform_driver atmel_nand_driver = {
 	},
 };
 
-module_platform_driver(atmel_nand_driver);
+static int __init atmel_nand_init(void)
+{
+	int ret;
+
+	ret = platform_driver_register(&atmel_nand_nfc_driver);
+	if (ret)
+		return ret;
+
+	ret = platform_driver_register(&atmel_nand_driver);
+	if (ret)
+		platform_driver_unregister(&atmel_nand_nfc_driver);
+
+	return ret;
+}
+module_init(atmel_nand_init);
+
+static void __exit atmel_nand_exit(void)
+{
+	platform_driver_unregister(&atmel_nand_driver);
+	platform_driver_unregister(&atmel_nand_nfc_driver);
+}
+module_exit(atmel_nand_exit);
 
 MODULE_LICENSE("GPL");
 MODULE_AUTHOR("Rick Bronson");
