diff --git a/drivers/mtd/mtdcore.c b/drivers/mtd/mtdcore.c
index a5197a481902..b2d88ff90e93 100644
--- a/drivers/mtd/mtdcore.c
+++ b/drivers/mtd/mtdcore.c
@@ -667,8 +667,10 @@ 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;
+	}
 
 	/* Add the nvmem provider */
 	error = mtd_nvmem_add(mtd);