diff --git a/drivers/media/usb/em28xx/em28xx-cards.c b/drivers/media/usb/em28xx/em28xx-cards.c
index 87e375562dbb..b6490f611687 100644
--- a/drivers/media/usb/em28xx/em28xx-cards.c
+++ b/drivers/media/usb/em28xx/em28xx-cards.c
@@ -3881,6 +3881,8 @@ static int em28xx_usb_probe(struct usb_interface *intf,
 		goto err_free;
 	}
 
+	kref_init(&dev->ref);
+
 	dev->devno = nr;
 	dev->model = id->driver_info;
 	dev->alt   = -1;
@@ -3981,6 +3983,8 @@ static int em28xx_usb_probe(struct usb_interface *intf,
 	}
 
 	if (dev->board.has_dual_ts && em28xx_duplicate_dev(dev) == 0) {
+		kref_init(&dev->dev_next->ref);
+
 		dev->dev_next->ts = SECONDARY_TS;
 		dev->dev_next->alt   = -1;
 		dev->dev_next->is_audio_only = has_vendor_audio &&
@@ -4035,12 +4039,8 @@ static int em28xx_usb_probe(struct usb_interface *intf,
 			em28xx_write_reg(dev, 0x0b, 0x82);
 			mdelay(100);
 		}
-
-		kref_init(&dev->dev_next->ref);
 	}
 
-	kref_init(&dev->ref);
-
 	request_modules(dev);
 
 	/*