diff --git a/net/ax25/af_ax25.c b/net/ax25/af_ax25.c
index d9b3f6222cec..43a69d0e8a71 100644
--- a/net/ax25/af_ax25.c
+++ b/net/ax25/af_ax25.c
@@ -101,8 +101,10 @@ static void ax25_kill_by_device(struct net_device *dev)
 			spin_unlock_bh(&ax25_list_lock);
 			lock_sock(sk);
 			s->ax25_dev = NULL;
-			dev_put(ax25_dev->dev);
-			ax25_dev_put(ax25_dev);
+			if (sk->sk_socket) {
+				dev_put(ax25_dev->dev);
+				ax25_dev_put(ax25_dev);
+			}
 			release_sock(sk);
 			ax25_disconnect(s, ENETUNREACH);
 			spin_lock_bh(&ax25_list_lock);
@@ -982,14 +984,20 @@ static int ax25_release(struct socket *sock)
 {
 	struct sock *sk = sock->sk;
 	ax25_cb *ax25;
+	ax25_dev *ax25_dev;
 
 	if (sk == NULL)
 		return 0;
 
 	sock_hold(sk);
-	sock_orphan(sk);
 	lock_sock(sk);
+	sock_orphan(sk);
 	ax25 = sk_to_ax25(sk);
+	ax25_dev = ax25->ax25_dev;
+	if (ax25_dev) {
+		dev_put(ax25_dev->dev);
+		ax25_dev_put(ax25_dev);
+	}
 
 	if (sk->sk_type == SOCK_SEQPACKET) {
 		switch (ax25->state) {