diff --git a/drivers/ntb/ntb.c b/drivers/ntb/ntb.c
index 2581ab724c34771e05f137947e71c86d8ccfb886..3305a2fbea4e27604890b1ff585b271ddee13f4d 100644
--- a/drivers/ntb/ntb.c
+++ b/drivers/ntb/ntb.c
@@ -100,6 +100,8 @@ EXPORT_SYMBOL(ntb_unregister_client);
 
 int ntb_register_device(struct ntb_dev *ntb)
 {
+	int ret;
+
 	if (!ntb)
 		return -EINVAL;
 	if (!ntb->pdev)
@@ -120,7 +122,11 @@ int ntb_register_device(struct ntb_dev *ntb)
 	ntb->ctx_ops = NULL;
 	spin_lock_init(&ntb->ctx_lock);
 
-	return device_register(&ntb->dev);
+	ret = device_register(&ntb->dev);
+	if (ret)
+		put_device(&ntb->dev);
+
+	return ret;
 }
 EXPORT_SYMBOL(ntb_register_device);