diff --git a/kernel/events/uprobes.c b/kernel/events/uprobes.c
index 4c965ba77f9f..84ee7b590861 100644
--- a/kernel/events/uprobes.c
+++ b/kernel/events/uprobes.c
@@ -581,8 +581,8 @@ int uprobe_write_opcode(struct arch_uprobe *auprobe, struct vm_area_struct *vma,
 
 out:
 	/* Revert back reference counter if instruction update failed. */
-	if (ret < 0 && is_register && ref_ctr_updated)
-		update_ref_ctr(uprobe, mm, -1);
+	if (ret < 0 && ref_ctr_updated)
+		update_ref_ctr(uprobe, mm, is_register ? -1 : 1);
 
 	/* try collapse pmd for compound page */
 	if (ret > 0)