diff --git a/drivers/firmware/efi/efivars.c b/drivers/firmware/efi/efivars.c
index 78ad1ba8c987..26528a46d99e 100644
--- a/drivers/firmware/efi/efivars.c
+++ b/drivers/firmware/efi/efivars.c
@@ -522,8 +522,10 @@ efivar_create_sysfs_entry(struct efivar_entry *new_var)
 	ret = kobject_init_and_add(&new_var->kobj, &efivar_ktype,
 				   NULL, "%s", short_name);
 	kfree(short_name);
-	if (ret)
+	if (ret) {
+		kobject_put(&new_var->kobj);
 		return ret;
+	}
 
 	kobject_uevent(&new_var->kobj, KOBJ_ADD);
 	if (efivar_entry_add(new_var, &efivar_sysfs_list)) {