diff --git a/drivers/iio/industrialio-buffer.c b/drivers/iio/industrialio-buffer.c
index 5ff34ce8b6a2..e6fa1a4e135d 100644
--- a/drivers/iio/industrialio-buffer.c
+++ b/drivers/iio/industrialio-buffer.c
@@ -686,6 +686,13 @@ static int iio_verify_update(struct iio_dev *indio_dev,
 	bool scan_timestamp;
 	unsigned int modes;
 
+	if (insert_buffer &&
+	    bitmap_empty(insert_buffer->scan_mask, indio_dev->masklength)) {
+		dev_dbg(&indio_dev->dev,
+			"At least one scan element must be enabled first\n");
+		return -EINVAL;
+	}
+
 	memset(config, 0, sizeof(*config));
 	config->watermark = ~0;