diff --git a/drivers/acpi/acpica/utdelete.c b/drivers/acpi/acpica/utdelete.c
index 03a2282ceb9c..81a9c47973ce 100644
--- a/drivers/acpi/acpica/utdelete.c
+++ b/drivers/acpi/acpica/utdelete.c
@@ -440,6 +440,7 @@ acpi_ut_update_ref_count(union acpi_operand_object *object, u32 action)
 			ACPI_WARNING((AE_INFO,
 				      "Obj %p, Reference Count is already zero, cannot decrement\n",
 				      object));
+			return;
 		}
 
 		ACPI_DEBUG_PRINT((ACPI_DB_ALLOCATIONS,