diff --git a/drivers/block/xen-blkback/blkback.c b/drivers/block/xen-blkback/blkback.c
index c42202d63567..d6eaaa25d1cc 100644
--- a/drivers/block/xen-blkback/blkback.c
+++ b/drivers/block/xen-blkback/blkback.c
@@ -609,8 +609,6 @@ int xen_blkif_schedule(void *arg)
 	unsigned long timeout;
 	int ret;
 
-	xen_blkif_get(blkif);
-
 	set_freezable();
 	while (!kthread_should_stop()) {
 		if (try_to_freeze())
@@ -665,7 +663,6 @@ purge_gnt_list:
 		print_stats(ring);
 
 	ring->xenblkd = NULL;
-	xen_blkif_put(blkif);
 
 	return 0;
 }
diff --git a/drivers/block/xen-blkback/xenbus.c b/drivers/block/xen-blkback/xenbus.c
index 9b69fe410c08..d8fc9c58e2a3 100644
--- a/drivers/block/xen-blkback/xenbus.c
+++ b/drivers/block/xen-blkback/xenbus.c
@@ -255,7 +255,6 @@ static int xen_blkif_disconnect(struct xen_blkif *blkif)
 		if (ring->xenblkd) {
 			kthread_stop(ring->xenblkd);
 			wake_up(&ring->shutdown_wq);
-			ring->xenblkd = NULL;
 		}
 
 		/* The above kthread_stop() guarantees that at this point we