diff --git a/drivers/nvdimm/pmem.c b/drivers/nvdimm/pmem.c
index 34189a145ac6..4a9cffc14512 100644
--- a/drivers/nvdimm/pmem.c
+++ b/drivers/nvdimm/pmem.c
@@ -382,10 +382,8 @@ static int pmem_attach_disk(struct device *dev,
 
 	pmem->bb_state = sysfs_get_dirent(disk_to_dev(disk)->kobj.sd,
 					  "badblocks");
-	if (pmem->bb_state)
-		sysfs_put(pmem->bb_state);
-	else
-		dev_warn(dev, "sysfs_get_dirent 'badblocks' failed\n");
+	if (!pmem->bb_state)
+		dev_warn(dev, "'badblocks' notification disabled\n");
 
 	return 0;
 }
@@ -418,8 +416,18 @@ static int nd_pmem_probe(struct device *dev)
 
 static int nd_pmem_remove(struct device *dev)
 {
+	struct pmem_device *pmem = dev_get_drvdata(dev);
+
 	if (is_nd_btt(dev))
 		nvdimm_namespace_detach_btt(to_nd_btt(dev));
+	else {
+		/*
+		 * Note, this assumes device_lock() context to not race
+		 * nd_pmem_notify()
+		 */
+		sysfs_put(pmem->bb_state);
+		pmem->bb_state = NULL;
+	}
 	nvdimm_flush(to_nd_region(dev->parent));
 
 	return 0;
diff --git a/drivers/nvdimm/region.c b/drivers/nvdimm/region.c
index ca94029d20b3..034f0a07d627 100644
--- a/drivers/nvdimm/region.c
+++ b/drivers/nvdimm/region.c
@@ -60,11 +60,9 @@ static int nd_region_probe(struct device *dev)
 			return -ENODEV;
 		nd_region->bb_state = sysfs_get_dirent(nd_region->dev.kobj.sd,
 						       "badblocks");
-		if (nd_region->bb_state)
-			sysfs_put(nd_region->bb_state);
-		else
+		if (!nd_region->bb_state)
 			dev_warn(&nd_region->dev,
-				"sysfs_get_dirent 'badblocks' failed\n");
+					"'badblocks' notification disabled\n");
 		ndr_res.start = nd_region->ndr_start;
 		ndr_res.end = nd_region->ndr_start + nd_region->ndr_size - 1;
 		nvdimm_badblocks_populate(nd_region, &nd_region->bb, &ndr_res);
@@ -111,6 +109,13 @@ static int nd_region_remove(struct device *dev)
 	dev_set_drvdata(dev, NULL);
 	nvdimm_bus_unlock(dev);
 
+	/*
+	 * Note, this assumes device_lock() context to not race
+	 * nd_region_notify()
+	 */
+	sysfs_put(nd_region->bb_state);
+	nd_region->bb_state = NULL;
+
 	return 0;
 }