int size)
 {
        int len;
+       int count;
 
-       if (!acpi_dev->flags.hardware_id)
+       if (!acpi_dev->flags.hardware_id && !acpi_dev->flags.compatible_ids)
                return -ENODEV;
 
-       len = snprintf(modalias, size, "acpi:%s:",
-                      acpi_dev->pnp.hardware_id);
-       if (len < 0 || len >= size)
-               return -EINVAL;
+       len = snprintf(modalias, size, "acpi:");
        size -= len;
 
+       if (acpi_dev->flags.hardware_id) {
+               count = snprintf(&modalias[len], size, "%s:",
+                                acpi_dev->pnp.hardware_id);
+               if (count < 0 || count >= size)
+                       return -EINVAL;
+               len += count;
+               size -= count;
+       }
+
        if (acpi_dev->flags.compatible_ids) {
                struct acpi_compatible_id_list *cid_list;
                int i;
-               int count;
 
                cid_list = acpi_dev->pnp.cid_list;
                for (i = 0; i < cid_list->count; i++) {