diff --git a/drivers/net/macsec.c b/drivers/net/macsec.c
index 10a8ef2d025a16ad855f0978d96536c8ee44b7ff..a0f565814d30949777cfc8a47afc841c972f93bd 100644
--- a/drivers/net/macsec.c
+++ b/drivers/net/macsec.c
@@ -2783,6 +2783,9 @@ static int macsec_dev_init(struct net_device *dev)
 	if (is_zero_ether_addr(dev->broadcast))
 		memcpy(dev->broadcast, real_dev->broadcast, dev->addr_len);
 
+	/* Get macsec's reference to real_dev */
+	dev_hold(real_dev);
+
 	return 0;
 }
 
@@ -3009,6 +3012,8 @@ static void macsec_free_netdev(struct net_device *dev)
 	free_percpu(macsec->stats);
 	free_percpu(macsec->secy.tx_sc.stats);
 
+	/* Get rid of the macsec's reference to real_dev */
+	dev_put(macsec->real_dev);
 }
 
 static void macsec_setup(struct net_device *dev)