diff --git a/drivers/base/core.c b/drivers/base/core.c
index 2b0a1054535c..93c2fc58013e 100644
--- a/drivers/base/core.c
+++ b/drivers/base/core.c
@@ -180,11 +180,20 @@ struct device_link *device_link_add(struct device *consumer,
 				    struct device *supplier, u32 flags)
 {
 	struct device_link *link;
+	bool rpm_put_supplier = false;
 
 	if (!consumer || !supplier ||
 	    ((flags & DL_FLAG_STATELESS) && (flags & DL_FLAG_AUTOREMOVE)))
 		return NULL;
 
+	if (flags & DL_FLAG_PM_RUNTIME && flags & DL_FLAG_RPM_ACTIVE) {
+		if (pm_runtime_get_sync(supplier) < 0) {
+			pm_runtime_put_noidle(supplier);
+			return NULL;
+		}
+		rpm_put_supplier = true;
+	}
+
 	device_links_write_lock();
 	device_pm_lock();
 
@@ -209,13 +218,8 @@ struct device_link *device_link_add(struct device *consumer,
 
 	if (flags & DL_FLAG_PM_RUNTIME) {
 		if (flags & DL_FLAG_RPM_ACTIVE) {
-			if (pm_runtime_get_sync(supplier) < 0) {
-				pm_runtime_put_noidle(supplier);
-				kfree(link);
-				link = NULL;
-				goto out;
-			}
 			link->rpm_active = true;
+			rpm_put_supplier = false;
 		}
 		pm_runtime_new_link(consumer);
 		/*
@@ -286,6 +290,10 @@ struct device_link *device_link_add(struct device *consumer,
  out:
 	device_pm_unlock();
 	device_links_write_unlock();
+
+	if (rpm_put_supplier)
+		pm_runtime_put(supplier);
+
 	return link;
 }
 EXPORT_SYMBOL_GPL(device_link_add);