diff --git a/drivers/pinctrl/core.c b/drivers/pinctrl/core.c
index 27e41873c04f..9e57f4c62e60 100644
--- a/drivers/pinctrl/core.c
+++ b/drivers/pinctrl/core.c
@@ -1007,20 +1007,17 @@ static int add_setting(struct pinctrl *p, struct pinctrl_dev *pctldev,
 
 static struct pinctrl *find_pinctrl(struct device *dev)
 {
-	struct pinctrl *entry, *p = NULL;
+	struct pinctrl *p;
 
 	mutex_lock(&pinctrl_list_mutex);
-
-	list_for_each_entry(entry, &pinctrl_list, node) {
-		if (entry->dev == dev) {
-			p = entry;
-			kref_get(&p->users);
-			break;
+	list_for_each_entry(p, &pinctrl_list, node)
+		if (p->dev == dev) {
+			mutex_unlock(&pinctrl_list_mutex);
+			return p;
 		}
-	}
 
 	mutex_unlock(&pinctrl_list_mutex);
-	return p;
+	return NULL;
 }
 
 static void pinctrl_free(struct pinctrl *p, bool inlist);
@@ -1129,6 +1126,7 @@ struct pinctrl *pinctrl_get(struct device *dev)
 	p = find_pinctrl(dev);
 	if (p) {
 		dev_dbg(dev, "obtain a copy of previously claimed pinctrl\n");
+		kref_get(&p->users);
 		return p;
 	}