diff --git a/drivers/net/ethernet/mellanox/mlx5/core/lib/devcom.c b/drivers/net/ethernet/mellanox/mlx5/core/lib/devcom.c
index 64f92427602d..75855481522b 100644
--- a/drivers/net/ethernet/mellanox/mlx5/core/lib/devcom.c
+++ b/drivers/net/ethernet/mellanox/mlx5/core/lib/devcom.c
@@ -37,6 +37,7 @@ struct mlx5_devcom_comp {
 	struct mlx5_devcom_key key;
 	mlx5_devcom_event_handler_t handler;
 	struct kref ref;
+	int nr_devs;
 	bool ready;
 	struct rw_semaphore sem;
 	struct lock_class_key lock_key;
@@ -170,6 +171,7 @@ devcom_alloc_comp_dev(struct mlx5_devcom_dev *devc,
 
 	down_write(&comp->sem);
 	list_add_tail(&devcom->list, &comp->comp_dev_list_head);
+	WRITE_ONCE(comp->nr_devs, comp->nr_devs + 1);
 	up_write(&comp->sem);
 
 	return devcom;
@@ -182,6 +184,7 @@ devcom_free_comp_dev(struct mlx5_devcom_comp_dev *devcom)
 
 	down_write(&comp->sem);
 	list_del(&devcom->list);
+	WRITE_ONCE(comp->nr_devs, comp->nr_devs - 1);
 	up_write(&comp->sem);
 
 	kref_put(&devcom->devc->ref, mlx5_devcom_dev_release);
@@ -284,7 +287,7 @@ int mlx5_devcom_comp_get_size(struct mlx5_devcom_comp_dev *devcom)
 {
 	struct mlx5_devcom_comp *comp = devcom->comp;
 
-	return kref_read(&comp->ref);
+	return READ_ONCE(comp->nr_devs);
 }
 
 int mlx5_devcom_locked_send_event(struct mlx5_devcom_comp_dev *devcom,