diff --git a/arch/x86/kernel/cpu/intel_rdt_rdtgroup.c b/arch/x86/kernel/cpu/intel_rdt_rdtgroup.c
index 2dae1b3c42fc..734996904dc3 100644
--- a/arch/x86/kernel/cpu/intel_rdt_rdtgroup.c
+++ b/arch/x86/kernel/cpu/intel_rdt_rdtgroup.c
@@ -1260,7 +1260,11 @@ static void free_all_child_rdtgrp(struct rdtgroup *rdtgrp)
 	list_for_each_entry_safe(sentry, stmp, head, mon.crdtgrp_list) {
 		free_rmid(sentry->mon.rmid);
 		list_del(&sentry->mon.crdtgrp_list);
-		kfree(sentry);
+
+		if (atomic_read(&sentry->waitcount) != 0)
+			sentry->flags = RDT_DELETED;
+		else
+			kfree(sentry);
 	}
 }
 
@@ -1294,7 +1298,11 @@ static void rmdir_all_sub(void)
 
 		kernfs_remove(rdtgrp->kn);
 		list_del(&rdtgrp->rdtgroup_list);
-		kfree(rdtgrp);
+
+		if (atomic_read(&rdtgrp->waitcount) != 0)
+			rdtgrp->flags = RDT_DELETED;
+		else
+			kfree(rdtgrp);
 	}
 	/* Notify online CPUs to update per cpu storage and PQR_ASSOC MSR */
 	update_closid_rmid(cpu_online_mask, &rdtgroup_default);