diff --git a/drivers/staging/greybus/connection.c b/drivers/staging/greybus/connection.c
index d1508e21b378..1d7c21e03bfa 100644
--- a/drivers/staging/greybus/connection.c
+++ b/drivers/staging/greybus/connection.c
@@ -73,7 +73,7 @@ static void gb_connection_kref_release(struct kref *kref)
 	struct gb_connection *connection;
 
 	connection = container_of(kref, struct gb_connection, kref);
-	destroy_workqueue(connection->wq);
+
 	kfree(connection);
 	mutex_unlock(&connection_mutex);
 }
@@ -500,9 +500,7 @@ void gb_connection_disable(struct gb_connection *connection)
 }
 EXPORT_SYMBOL_GPL(gb_connection_disable);
 
-/*
- * Tear down a previously set up connection.
- */
+/* Caller must have disabled the connection before destroying it. */
 void gb_connection_destroy(struct gb_connection *connection)
 {
 	struct ida *id_map;
@@ -515,6 +513,8 @@ void gb_connection_destroy(struct gb_connection *connection)
 	list_del(&connection->hd_links);
 	spin_unlock_irq(&gb_connections_lock);
 
+	destroy_workqueue(connection->wq);
+
 	id_map = &connection->hd->cport_id_map;
 	ida_simple_remove(id_map, connection->hd_cport_id);
 	connection->hd_cport_id = CPORT_ID_BAD;