diff --git a/drivers/tty/tty_io.c b/drivers/tty/tty_io.c
index 02785d844354..17b027242734 100644
--- a/drivers/tty/tty_io.c
+++ b/drivers/tty/tty_io.c
@@ -3151,13 +3151,18 @@ struct class *tty_class;
 static int tty_cdev_add(struct tty_driver *driver, dev_t dev,
 		unsigned int index, unsigned int count)
 {
+	int err;
+
 	/* init here, since reused cdevs cause crashes */
 	driver->cdevs[index] = cdev_alloc();
 	if (!driver->cdevs[index])
 		return -ENOMEM;
-	cdev_init(driver->cdevs[index], &tty_fops);
+	driver->cdevs[index]->ops = &tty_fops;
 	driver->cdevs[index]->owner = driver->owner;
-	return cdev_add(driver->cdevs[index], dev, count);
+	err = cdev_add(driver->cdevs[index], dev, count);
+	if (err)
+		kobject_put(&driver->cdevs[index]->kobj);
+	return err;
 }
 
 /**