diff --git a/drivers/i2c/i2c-core-of.c b/drivers/i2c/i2c-core-of.c
index 6f632d543fcc..7eb41990bd6d 100644
--- a/drivers/i2c/i2c-core-of.c
+++ b/drivers/i2c/i2c-core-of.c
@@ -245,14 +245,14 @@ static int of_i2c_notify(struct notifier_block *nb, unsigned long action,
 		}
 
 		client = of_i2c_register_device(adap, rd->dn);
-		put_device(&adap->dev);
-
 		if (IS_ERR(client)) {
 			dev_err(&adap->dev, "failed to create client for '%pOF'\n",
 				 rd->dn);
+			put_device(&adap->dev);
 			of_node_clear_flag(rd->dn, OF_POPULATED);
 			return notifier_from_errno(PTR_ERR(client));
 		}
+		put_device(&adap->dev);
 		break;
 	case OF_RECONFIG_CHANGE_REMOVE:
 		/* already depopulated? */