diff --git a/drivers/firewire/fw-cdev.c b/drivers/firewire/fw-cdev.c
index 7e73cbaa4121..44ccee26c368 100644
--- a/drivers/firewire/fw-cdev.c
+++ b/drivers/firewire/fw-cdev.c
@@ -109,15 +109,17 @@ static int fw_device_op_open(struct inode *inode, struct file *file)
 	struct client *client;
 	unsigned long flags;
 
-	device = fw_device_from_devt(inode->i_rdev);
+	device = fw_device_get_by_devt(inode->i_rdev);
 	if (device == NULL)
 		return -ENODEV;
 
 	client = kzalloc(sizeof(*client), GFP_KERNEL);
-	if (client == NULL)
+	if (client == NULL) {
+		fw_device_put(device);
 		return -ENOMEM;
+	}
 
-	client->device = fw_device_get(device);
+	client->device = device;
 	INIT_LIST_HEAD(&client->event_list);
 	INIT_LIST_HEAD(&client->resource_list);
 	spin_lock_init(&client->lock);
diff --git a/drivers/firewire/fw-device.c b/drivers/firewire/fw-device.c
index de9066e69adf..c04c28800f1d 100644
--- a/drivers/firewire/fw-device.c
+++ b/drivers/firewire/fw-device.c
@@ -610,12 +610,14 @@ static DECLARE_RWSEM(idr_rwsem);
 static DEFINE_IDR(fw_device_idr);
 int fw_cdev_major;
 
-struct fw_device *fw_device_from_devt(dev_t devt)
+struct fw_device *fw_device_get_by_devt(dev_t devt)
 {
 	struct fw_device *device;
 
 	down_read(&idr_rwsem);
 	device = idr_find(&fw_device_idr, MINOR(devt));
+	if (device)
+		fw_device_get(device);
 	up_read(&idr_rwsem);
 
 	return device;
@@ -627,13 +629,14 @@ static void fw_device_shutdown(struct work_struct *work)
 		container_of(work, struct fw_device, work.work);
 	int minor = MINOR(device->device.devt);
 
-	down_write(&idr_rwsem);
-	idr_remove(&fw_device_idr, minor);
-	up_write(&idr_rwsem);
-
 	fw_device_cdev_remove(device);
 	device_for_each_child(&device->device, NULL, shutdown_unit);
 	device_unregister(&device->device);
+
+	down_write(&idr_rwsem);
+	idr_remove(&fw_device_idr, minor);
+	up_write(&idr_rwsem);
+	fw_device_put(device);
 }
 
 static struct device_type fw_device_type = {
@@ -682,10 +685,13 @@ static void fw_device_init(struct work_struct *work)
 	}
 
 	err = -ENOMEM;
+
+	fw_device_get(device);
 	down_write(&idr_rwsem);
 	if (idr_pre_get(&fw_device_idr, GFP_KERNEL))
 		err = idr_get_new(&fw_device_idr, device, &minor);
 	up_write(&idr_rwsem);
+
 	if (err < 0)
 		goto error;
 
@@ -741,7 +747,9 @@ static void fw_device_init(struct work_struct *work)
 	idr_remove(&fw_device_idr, minor);
 	up_write(&idr_rwsem);
  error:
-	put_device(&device->device);
+	fw_device_put(device);		/* fw_device_idr's reference */
+
+	put_device(&device->device);	/* our reference */
 }
 
 static int update_unit(struct device *dev, void *data)
diff --git a/drivers/firewire/fw-device.h b/drivers/firewire/fw-device.h
index 0854fe2bc110..43808c02793e 100644
--- a/drivers/firewire/fw-device.h
+++ b/drivers/firewire/fw-device.h
@@ -77,13 +77,13 @@ fw_device_is_shutdown(struct fw_device *device)
 }
 
 struct fw_device *fw_device_get(struct fw_device *device);
+struct fw_device *fw_device_get_by_devt(dev_t devt);
 void fw_device_put(struct fw_device *device);
 int fw_device_enable_phys_dma(struct fw_device *device);
 
 void fw_device_cdev_update(struct fw_device *device);
 void fw_device_cdev_remove(struct fw_device *device);
 
-struct fw_device *fw_device_from_devt(dev_t devt);
 extern int fw_cdev_major;
 
 struct fw_unit {