diff --git a/src/barebox-state/state.c b/src/barebox-state/state.c
index a993088..ef36cb6 100644
--- a/src/barebox-state/state.c
+++ b/src/barebox-state/state.c
@@ -465,9 +465,10 @@
 			of_path = partition_node->full_name;
 			ret = of_find_path_by_node(partition_node, &path, 0);
 		}
-		if (!path) {
-			dev_err(&state->dev, "state failed to parse path to backend\n");
-			ret = -EINVAL;
+		if (ret) {
+			if (ret != -EPROBE_DEFER)
+				dev_err(&state->dev, "state failed to parse path to backend: %s\n",
+				       strerror(-ret));
 			goto out_release_state;
 		}
 	}