diff --git a/drivers/net/wireless/broadcom/brcm80211/brcmfmac/sdio.c b/drivers/net/wireless/broadcom/brcm80211/brcmfmac/sdio.c
index 30f6fcb68632..8fb595733b9c 100644
--- a/drivers/net/wireless/broadcom/brcm80211/brcmfmac/sdio.c
+++ b/drivers/net/wireless/broadcom/brcm80211/brcmfmac/sdio.c
@@ -2476,8 +2476,9 @@ static void brcmf_sdio_bus_stop(struct device *dev)
 	brcmf_dbg(TRACE, "Enter\n");
 
 	if (bus->watchdog_tsk) {
+		get_task_struct(bus->watchdog_tsk);
 		send_sig(SIGTERM, bus->watchdog_tsk, 1);
-		kthread_stop(bus->watchdog_tsk);
+		kthread_stop_put(bus->watchdog_tsk);
 		bus->watchdog_tsk = NULL;
 	}
 
@@ -4567,8 +4568,9 @@ void brcmf_sdio_remove(struct brcmf_sdio *bus)
 	if (bus) {
 		/* Stop watchdog task */
 		if (bus->watchdog_tsk) {
+			get_task_struct(bus->watchdog_tsk);
 			send_sig(SIGTERM, bus->watchdog_tsk, 1);
-			kthread_stop(bus->watchdog_tsk);
+			kthread_stop_put(bus->watchdog_tsk);
 			bus->watchdog_tsk = NULL;
 		}