diff --git a/drivers/mtd/mtdcore.c b/drivers/mtd/mtdcore.c
index d46e4adf6d2b..4cf97cdbdefe 100644
--- a/drivers/mtd/mtdcore.c
+++ b/drivers/mtd/mtdcore.c
@@ -552,8 +552,10 @@ int add_mtd_device(struct mtd_info *mtd)
 	dev_set_drvdata(&mtd->dev, mtd);
 	of_node_get(mtd_get_of_node(mtd));
 	error = device_register(&mtd->dev);
-	if (error)
+	if (error) {
+		put_device(&mtd->dev);
 		goto fail_added;
+	}
 
 	device_create(&mtd_class, mtd->dev.parent, MTD_DEVT(i) + 1, NULL,
 		      "mtd%dro", i);