diff --git a/subsys/storage/flash_map/flash_map.c b/subsys/storage/flash_map/flash_map.c
index 1a50b25c993..b75af590428 100644
--- a/subsys/storage/flash_map/flash_map.c
+++ b/subsys/storage/flash_map/flash_map.c
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@ int flash_area_open(uint8_t id, const struct flash_area **fap)
 		return -ENOENT;
 	}
 
-	if (!device_is_ready(area->fa_dev)) {
+	if (!area->fa_dev || !device_is_ready(area->fa_dev)) {
 		return -ENODEV;
 	}
 
diff --git a/subsys/storage/flash_map/flash_map_default.c b/subsys/storage/flash_map/flash_map_default.c
index add0d41b015..65d2de1137f 100644
--- a/subsys/storage/flash_map/flash_map_default.c
+++ b/subsys/storage/flash_map/flash_map_default.c
@@ -11,10 +11,10 @@
 #include <zephyr/zephyr.h>
 #include <zephyr/storage/flash_map.h>
 
-#define FLASH_AREA_FOO(part)						\
-	{.fa_id = DT_FIXED_PARTITION_ID(part),				\
-	 .fa_off = DT_REG_ADDR(part),					\
-	 .fa_dev = DEVICE_DT_GET(DT_MTD_FROM_FIXED_PARTITION(part)),	\
+#define FLASH_AREA_FOO(part)							\
+	{.fa_id = DT_FIXED_PARTITION_ID(part),					\
+	 .fa_off = DT_REG_ADDR(part),						\
+	 .fa_dev = DEVICE_DT_GET_OR_NULL(DT_MTD_FROM_FIXED_PARTITION(part)),	\
 	 .fa_size = DT_REG_SIZE(part),},
 
 #define FOREACH_PARTITION(n) DT_FOREACH_CHILD(DT_DRV_INST(n), FLASH_AREA_FOO)