diff --git a/drivers/hwtracing/intel_th/core.c b/drivers/hwtracing/intel_th/core.c
index 591b7c12aae5..d9c17214d3dc 100644
--- a/drivers/hwtracing/intel_th/core.c
+++ b/drivers/hwtracing/intel_th/core.c
@@ -810,9 +810,12 @@ static int intel_th_output_open(struct inode *inode, struct file *file)
 	int err;
 
 	dev = bus_find_device_by_devt(&intel_th_bus, inode->i_rdev);
-	if (!dev || !dev->driver) {
+	if (!dev)
+		return -ENODEV;
+
+	if (!dev->driver) {
 		err = -ENODEV;
-		goto out_no_device;
+		goto out_put_device;
 	}
 
 	thdrv = to_intel_th_driver(dev->driver);
@@ -836,12 +839,22 @@ static int intel_th_output_open(struct inode *inode, struct file *file)
 
 out_put_device:
 	put_device(dev);
-out_no_device:
+
 	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,
 };