diff --git a/drivers/spi/spi.c b/drivers/spi/spi.c
index 4d23ab50a258..eee73ecefe6c 100644
--- a/drivers/spi/spi.c
+++ b/drivers/spi/spi.c
@@ -2481,7 +2481,6 @@ struct spi_controller *__devm_spi_alloc_controller(struct device *dev,
 
 	ctlr = __spi_alloc_controller(dev, size, slave);
 	if (ctlr) {
-		ctlr->devm_allocated = true;
 		*ptr = ctlr;
 		devres_add(dev, ptr);
 	} else {
@@ -2828,6 +2827,11 @@ int devm_spi_register_controller(struct device *dev,
 }
 EXPORT_SYMBOL_GPL(devm_spi_register_controller);
 
+static int devm_spi_match_controller(struct device *dev, void *res, void *ctlr)
+{
+	return *(struct spi_controller **)res == ctlr;
+}
+
 static int __unregister(struct device *dev, void *null)
 {
 	spi_unregister_device(to_spi_device(dev));
@@ -2874,7 +2878,8 @@ void spi_unregister_controller(struct spi_controller *ctlr)
 	/* Release the last reference on the controller if its driver
 	 * has not yet been converted to devm_spi_alloc_master/slave().
 	 */
-	if (!ctlr->devm_allocated)
+	if (!devres_find(ctlr->dev.parent, devm_spi_release_controller,
+			 devm_spi_match_controller, ctlr))
 		put_device(&ctlr->dev);
 
 	/* free bus id */
diff --git a/include/linux/spi/spi.h b/include/linux/spi/spi.h
index 2d906b9c1499..b390fdac1587 100644
--- a/include/linux/spi/spi.h
+++ b/include/linux/spi/spi.h
@@ -511,9 +511,6 @@ struct spi_controller {
 
 #define SPI_MASTER_GPIO_SS		BIT(5)	/* GPIO CS must select slave */
 
-	/* flag indicating this is a non-devres managed controller */
-	bool			devm_allocated;
-
 	/* flag indicating this is an SPI slave controller */
 	bool			slave;