diff --git a/drivers/block/aoe/aoecmd.c b/drivers/block/aoe/aoecmd.c
index c805909c8e7754e847600df1e8bc353dfeb4bf18..833ccf2cd5df1ab261a5d374b34ee0d9e9964dc1 100644
--- a/drivers/block/aoe/aoecmd.c
+++ b/drivers/block/aoe/aoecmd.c
@@ -362,6 +362,7 @@ ata_rw_frameinit(struct frame *f)
 	}
 
 	ah->cmdstat = ATA_CMD_PIO_READ | writebit | extbit;
+	dev_hold(t->ifp->nd);
 	skb->dev = t->ifp->nd;
 }
 
@@ -402,6 +403,8 @@ aoecmd_ata_rw(struct aoedev *d)
 		__skb_queue_head_init(&queue);
 		__skb_queue_tail(&queue, skb);
 		aoenet_xmit(&queue);
+	} else {
+		dev_put(f->t->ifp->nd);
 	}
 	return 1;
 }
@@ -484,10 +487,13 @@ resend(struct aoedev *d, struct frame *f)
 	memcpy(h->dst, t->addr, sizeof h->dst);
 	memcpy(h->src, t->ifp->nd->dev_addr, sizeof h->src);
 
+	dev_hold(t->ifp->nd);
 	skb->dev = t->ifp->nd;
 	skb = skb_clone(skb, GFP_ATOMIC);
-	if (skb == NULL)
+	if (skb == NULL) {
+		dev_put(t->ifp->nd);
 		return;
+	}
 	f->sent = ktime_get();
 	__skb_queue_head_init(&queue);
 	__skb_queue_tail(&queue, skb);
@@ -618,6 +624,8 @@ probe(struct aoetgt *t)
 		__skb_queue_head_init(&queue);
 		__skb_queue_tail(&queue, skb);
 		aoenet_xmit(&queue);
+	} else {
+		dev_put(f->t->ifp->nd);
 	}
 }
 
@@ -1403,6 +1411,7 @@ aoecmd_ata_id(struct aoedev *d)
 	ah->cmdstat = ATA_CMD_ID_ATA;
 	ah->lba3 = 0xa0;
 
+	dev_hold(t->ifp->nd);
 	skb->dev = t->ifp->nd;
 
 	d->rttavg = RTTAVG_INIT;
@@ -1412,6 +1421,8 @@ aoecmd_ata_id(struct aoedev *d)
 	skb = skb_clone(skb, GFP_ATOMIC);
 	if (skb)
 		f->sent = ktime_get();
+	else
+		dev_put(t->ifp->nd);
 
 	return skb;
 }