diff --git a/drivers/gpu/drm/drm_dp_mst_topology.c b/drivers/gpu/drm/drm_dp_mst_topology.c
index 0e0df398222d..250d7160826f 100644
--- a/drivers/gpu/drm/drm_dp_mst_topology.c
+++ b/drivers/gpu/drm/drm_dp_mst_topology.c
@@ -1023,9 +1023,20 @@ static struct drm_dp_mst_port *drm_dp_mst_get_port_ref_locked(struct drm_dp_mst_
 static struct drm_dp_mst_port *drm_dp_get_validated_port_ref(struct drm_dp_mst_topology_mgr *mgr, struct drm_dp_mst_port *port)
 {
 	struct drm_dp_mst_port *rport = NULL;
+
 	mutex_lock(&mgr->lock);
-	if (mgr->mst_primary)
-		rport = drm_dp_mst_get_port_ref_locked(mgr->mst_primary, port);
+	/*
+	 * Port may or may not be 'valid' but we don't care about that when
+	 * destroying the port and we are guaranteed that the port pointer
+	 * will be valid until we've finished
+	 */
+	if (current_work() == &mgr->destroy_connector_work) {
+		kref_get(&port->kref);
+		rport = port;
+	} else if (mgr->mst_primary) {
+		rport = drm_dp_mst_get_port_ref_locked(mgr->mst_primary,
+						       port);
+	}
 	mutex_unlock(&mgr->lock);
 	return rport;
 }