diff --git a/drivers/hwtracing/intel_th/core.c b/drivers/hwtracing/intel_th/core.c
index 3924e63e2eee..56acf31546da 100644
--- a/drivers/hwtracing/intel_th/core.c
+++ b/drivers/hwtracing/intel_th/core.c
@@ -843,18 +843,8 @@ static int intel_th_output_open(struct inode *inode, struct file *file)
 	return err;
 }
 
-static int intel_th_output_release(struct inode *inode, struct file *file)
-{
-	struct intel_th_device *thdev = file->private_data;
-
-	put_device(&thdev->dev);
-
-	return 0;
-}
-
 static const struct file_operations intel_th_output_fops = {
 	.open	= intel_th_output_open,
-	.release = intel_th_output_release,
 	.llseek	= noop_llseek,
 };
 
diff --git a/drivers/hwtracing/intel_th/msu.c b/drivers/hwtracing/intel_th/msu.c
index a82cf74f39ad..84d99d7b1d20 100644
--- a/drivers/hwtracing/intel_th/msu.c
+++ b/drivers/hwtracing/intel_th/msu.c
@@ -1490,8 +1490,10 @@ static int intel_th_msc_release(struct inode *inode, struct file *file)
 {
 	struct msc_iter *iter = file->private_data;
 	struct msc *msc = iter->msc;
+	struct intel_th_device *thdev = msc->thdev;
 
 	msc_iter_remove(iter, msc);
+	put_device(&thdev->dev);
 
 	return 0;
 }