diff --git a/fs/resctrl/rdtgroup.c b/fs/resctrl/rdtgroup.c
index ce964721ba8e..77c9d22017bc 100644
--- a/fs/resctrl/rdtgroup.c
+++ b/fs/resctrl/rdtgroup.c
@@ -2606,15 +2606,24 @@ static void rdtgroup_kn_get(struct rdtgroup *rdtgrp, struct kernfs_node *kn)
 
 static void rdtgroup_kn_put(struct rdtgroup *rdtgrp, struct kernfs_node *kn)
 {
-	if (atomic_dec_and_test(&rdtgrp->waitcount) &&
-	    (rdtgrp->flags & RDT_DELETED)) {
+	bool needs_free;
+
+	if (!atomic_dec_and_mutex_lock(&rdtgrp->waitcount, &rdtgroup_mutex)) {
+		kernfs_unbreak_active_protection(kn);
+		return;
+	}
+
+	needs_free = rdtgrp->flags & RDT_DELETED;
+
+	mutex_unlock(&rdtgroup_mutex);
+
+	kernfs_unbreak_active_protection(kn);
+
+	if (needs_free) {
 		if (rdtgrp->mode == RDT_MODE_PSEUDO_LOCKSETUP ||
 		    rdtgrp->mode == RDT_MODE_PSEUDO_LOCKED)
 			rdtgroup_pseudo_lock_remove(rdtgrp);
-		kernfs_unbreak_active_protection(kn);
 		rdtgroup_remove(rdtgrp);
-	} else {
-		kernfs_unbreak_active_protection(kn);
 	}
 }