diff --git a/drivers/cpuidle/sysfs.c b/drivers/cpuidle/sysfs.c
index 2bb2683b493c..f8747322b3c7 100644
--- a/drivers/cpuidle/sysfs.c
+++ b/drivers/cpuidle/sysfs.c
@@ -480,7 +480,7 @@ static int cpuidle_add_state_sysfs(struct cpuidle_device *device)
 		ret = kobject_init_and_add(&kobj->kobj, &ktype_state_cpuidle,
 					   &kdev->kobj, "state%d", i);
 		if (ret) {
-			kfree(kobj);
+			kobject_put(&kobj->kobj);
 			goto error_state;
 		}
 		cpuidle_add_s2idle_attr_group(kobj);
@@ -611,7 +611,7 @@ static int cpuidle_add_driver_sysfs(struct cpuidle_device *dev)
 	ret = kobject_init_and_add(&kdrv->kobj, &ktype_driver_cpuidle,
 				   &kdev->kobj, "driver");
 	if (ret) {
-		kfree(kdrv);
+		kobject_put(&kdrv->kobj);
 		return ret;
 	}
 
@@ -705,7 +705,7 @@ int cpuidle_add_sysfs(struct cpuidle_device *dev)
 	error = kobject_init_and_add(&kdev->kobj, &ktype_cpuidle, &cpu_dev->kobj,
 				   "cpuidle");
 	if (error) {
-		kfree(kdev);
+		kobject_put(&kdev->kobj);
 		return error;
 	}