diff --git a/drivers/usbhost/usbhost_xhci.c b/drivers/usbhost/usbhost_xhci.c
index 7b8c19c2890..5227629d0c5 100644
--- a/drivers/usbhost/usbhost_xhci.c
+++ b/drivers/usbhost/usbhost_xhci.c
@@ -3949,9 +3949,23 @@ static int xhci_epalloc(FAR struct usbhost_driver_s *drvr,
 
   /* xhci_epno_get() returns Device Context Index (DCI) */
 
-  idx              = xhci_epno_get(epinfo);
-  mask             = XHCI_IN_CTX1_A(XHCI_EP_FLAG(idx));
-  dev              = rhport->dev;
+  idx  = xhci_epno_get(epinfo);
+  mask = XHCI_IN_CTX1_A(XHCI_EP_FLAG(idx));
+  dev  = rhport->dev;
+
+  /* There has to be a device to hang the endpoint off.  A port whose
+   * enumeration failed is retried after its slot has been given back, so
+   * this can run for a root hub port with nothing behind it.
+   */
+
+  if (dev == NULL)
+    {
+      uerr("no device on port %d\n", RHPNDX(rhport));
+      nxsem_destroy(&epinfo->iocsem);
+      kmm_free(epinfo);
+      return -ENODEV;
+    }
+
   dev->epinfo[idx - 1] = epinfo;
 
   /* TD rings already allocated but not connected yet. */