diff --git a/drivers/edac/edac_mc.c b/drivers/edac/edac_mc.c
index e5573c56b15e..824d31193b69 100644
--- a/drivers/edac/edac_mc.c
+++ b/drivers/edac/edac_mc.c
@@ -601,7 +601,6 @@ static int add_mc_to_global_list(struct mem_ctl_info *mci)
 	}
 
 	list_add_tail_rcu(&mci->link, insert_before);
-	atomic_inc(&edac_handlers);
 	return 0;
 
 fail0:
@@ -619,7 +618,6 @@ fail1:
 
 static int del_mc_from_global_list(struct mem_ctl_info *mci)
 {
-	int handlers = atomic_dec_return(&edac_handlers);
 	list_del_rcu(&mci->link);
 
 	/* these are for safe removal of devices from global list while
@@ -628,7 +626,7 @@ static int del_mc_from_global_list(struct mem_ctl_info *mci)
 	synchronize_rcu();
 	INIT_LIST_HEAD(&mci->link);
 
-	return handlers;
+	return list_empty(&mc_devices);
 }
 
 struct mem_ctl_info *edac_mc_find(int idx)
@@ -763,7 +761,7 @@ struct mem_ctl_info *edac_mc_del_mc(struct device *dev)
 	/* mark MCI offline: */
 	mci->op_state = OP_OFFLINE;
 
-	if (!del_mc_from_global_list(mci))
+	if (del_mc_from_global_list(mci))
 		edac_mc_owner = NULL;
 
 	mutex_unlock(&mem_ctls_mutex);
diff --git a/drivers/edac/edac_stub.c b/drivers/edac/edac_stub.c
index d1389e4b7989..cfb250fa38ce 100644
--- a/drivers/edac/edac_stub.c
+++ b/drivers/edac/edac_stub.c
@@ -20,9 +20,6 @@
 int edac_op_state = EDAC_OPSTATE_INVAL;
 EXPORT_SYMBOL_GPL(edac_op_state);
 
-atomic_t edac_handlers = ATOMIC_INIT(0);
-EXPORT_SYMBOL_GPL(edac_handlers);
-
 int edac_err_assert = 0;
 EXPORT_SYMBOL_GPL(edac_err_assert);
 
diff --git a/include/linux/edac.h b/include/linux/edac.h
index bf8daabf3d51..9fd6fe53ab2a 100644
--- a/include/linux/edac.h
+++ b/include/linux/edac.h
@@ -29,7 +29,6 @@ struct device;
 
 extern int edac_op_state;
 extern int edac_err_assert;
-extern atomic_t edac_handlers;
 
 extern struct bus_type *edac_get_sysfs_subsys(void);