diff --git a/virt/kvm/pfncache.c b/virt/kvm/pfncache.c
index e05a6a1b8eff..40cbe90d52e0 100644
--- a/virt/kvm/pfncache.c
+++ b/virt/kvm/pfncache.c
@@ -206,6 +206,14 @@ int kvm_gfn_to_pfn_cache_refresh(struct kvm *kvm, struct gfn_to_pfn_cache *gpc,
 
 		if (gpc->usage & KVM_HOST_USES_PFN) {
 			if (new_pfn == old_pfn) {
+				/*
+				 * Reuse the existing pfn and khva, but put the
+				 * reference acquired hva_to_pfn_retry(); the
+				 * cache still holds a reference to the pfn
+				 * from the previous refresh.
+				 */
+				gpc_release_pfn_and_khva(kvm, new_pfn, NULL);
+
 				new_khva = old_khva;
 				old_pfn = KVM_PFN_ERR_FAULT;
 				old_khva = NULL;