diff --git a/drivers/nvmem/core.c b/drivers/nvmem/core.c
index 68db7d3303ac..53a43d843743 100644
--- a/drivers/nvmem/core.c
+++ b/drivers/nvmem/core.c
@@ -903,7 +903,8 @@ static void nvmem_device_release(struct kref *kref)
  */
 void nvmem_unregister(struct nvmem_device *nvmem)
 {
-	kref_put(&nvmem->refcnt, nvmem_device_release);
+	if (nvmem)
+		kref_put(&nvmem->refcnt, nvmem_device_release);
 }
 EXPORT_SYMBOL_GPL(nvmem_unregister);