diff --git a/drivers/media/dvb-core/dvbdev.c b/drivers/media/dvb-core/dvbdev.c
index 305bb21d843c..49f0eb7d0b9d 100644
--- a/drivers/media/dvb-core/dvbdev.c
+++ b/drivers/media/dvb-core/dvbdev.c
@@ -104,6 +104,8 @@ static int dvb_device_open(struct inode *inode, struct file *file)
 			err = file->f_op->open(inode, file);
 		up_read(&minor_rwsem);
 		mutex_unlock(&dvbdev_mutex);
+		if (err)
+			dvb_device_put(dvbdev);
 		return err;
 	}
 fail: