diff --git a/drivers/gpu/drm/drm_fops.c b/drivers/gpu/drm/drm_fops.c
index 6466cb5d8b1f..79478191404a 100644
--- a/drivers/gpu/drm/drm_fops.c
+++ b/drivers/gpu/drm/drm_fops.c
@@ -79,23 +79,22 @@ static int drm_setup(struct drm_device * dev)
  */
 int drm_open(struct inode *inode, struct file *filp)
 {
-	struct drm_device *dev = NULL;
-	int minor_id = iminor(inode);
+	struct drm_device *dev;
 	struct drm_minor *minor;
-	int retcode = 0;
+	int retcode;
 	int need_setup = 0;
 	struct address_space *old_mapping;
 	struct address_space *old_imapping;
 
-	minor = idr_find(&drm_minors_idr, minor_id);
-	if (!minor)
-		return -ENODEV;
+	minor = drm_minor_acquire(iminor(inode));
+	if (IS_ERR(minor))
+		return PTR_ERR(minor);
 
-	if (!(dev = minor->dev))
-		return -ENODEV;
-
-	if (drm_device_is_unplugged(dev))
-		return -ENODEV;
+	dev = minor->dev;
+	if (drm_device_is_unplugged(dev)) {
+		retcode = -ENODEV;
+		goto err_release;
+	}
 
 	if (!dev->open_count++)
 		need_setup = 1;
@@ -128,6 +127,8 @@ err_undo:
 	dev->dev_mapping = old_mapping;
 	mutex_unlock(&dev->struct_mutex);
 	dev->open_count--;
+err_release:
+	drm_minor_release(minor);
 	return retcode;
 }
 EXPORT_SYMBOL(drm_open);
@@ -143,33 +144,33 @@ EXPORT_SYMBOL(drm_open);
  */
 int drm_stub_open(struct inode *inode, struct file *filp)
 {
-	struct drm_device *dev = NULL;
+	struct drm_device *dev;
 	struct drm_minor *minor;
-	int minor_id = iminor(inode);
 	int err = -ENODEV;
 	const struct file_operations *new_fops;
 
 	DRM_DEBUG("\n");
 
 	mutex_lock(&drm_global_mutex);
-	minor = idr_find(&drm_minors_idr, minor_id);
-	if (!minor)
-		goto out;
-
-	if (!(dev = minor->dev))
-		goto out;
+	minor = drm_minor_acquire(iminor(inode));
+	if (IS_ERR(minor))
+		goto out_unlock;
 
+	dev = minor->dev;
 	if (drm_device_is_unplugged(dev))
-		goto out;
+		goto out_release;
 
 	new_fops = fops_get(dev->driver->fops);
 	if (!new_fops)
-		goto out;
+		goto out_release;
 
 	replace_fops(filp, new_fops);
 	if (filp->f_op->open)
 		err = filp->f_op->open(inode, filp);
-out:
+
+out_release:
+	drm_minor_release(minor);
+out_unlock:
 	mutex_unlock(&drm_global_mutex);
 	return err;
 }
@@ -453,7 +454,8 @@ int drm_lastclose(struct drm_device * dev)
 int drm_release(struct inode *inode, struct file *filp)
 {
 	struct drm_file *file_priv = filp->private_data;
-	struct drm_device *dev = file_priv->minor->dev;
+	struct drm_minor *minor = file_priv->minor;
+	struct drm_device *dev = minor->dev;
 	int retcode = 0;
 
 	mutex_lock(&drm_global_mutex);
@@ -575,6 +577,8 @@ int drm_release(struct inode *inode, struct file *filp)
 	}
 	mutex_unlock(&drm_global_mutex);
 
+	drm_minor_release(minor);
+
 	return retcode;
 }
 EXPORT_SYMBOL(drm_release);
diff --git a/drivers/gpu/drm/drm_stub.c b/drivers/gpu/drm/drm_stub.c
index f2f0249304b7..269048215e82 100644
--- a/drivers/gpu/drm/drm_stub.c
+++ b/drivers/gpu/drm/drm_stub.c
@@ -355,6 +355,45 @@ static void drm_unplug_minor(struct drm_minor *minor)
 	idr_remove(&drm_minors_idr, minor->index);
 }
 
+/**
+ * drm_minor_acquire - Acquire a DRM minor
+ * @minor_id: Minor ID of the DRM-minor
+ *
+ * Looks up the given minor-ID and returns the respective DRM-minor object. The
+ * refence-count of the underlying device is increased so you must release this
+ * object with drm_minor_release().
+ *
+ * As long as you hold this minor, it is guaranteed that the object and the
+ * minor->dev pointer will stay valid! However, the device may get unplugged and
+ * unregistered while you hold the minor.
+ *
+ * Returns:
+ * Pointer to minor-object with increased device-refcount, or PTR_ERR on
+ * failure.
+ */
+struct drm_minor *drm_minor_acquire(unsigned int minor_id)
+{
+	struct drm_minor *minor;
+
+	minor = idr_find(&drm_minors_idr, minor_id);
+	if (!minor)
+		return ERR_PTR(-ENODEV);
+
+	drm_dev_ref(minor->dev);
+	return minor;
+}
+
+/**
+ * drm_minor_release - Release DRM minor
+ * @minor: Pointer to DRM minor object
+ *
+ * Release a minor that was previously acquired via drm_minor_acquire().
+ */
+void drm_minor_release(struct drm_minor *minor)
+{
+	drm_dev_unref(minor->dev);
+}
+
 /**
  * drm_put_minor - Destroy DRM minor
  * @minor: Minor to destroy
diff --git a/include/drm/drmP.h b/include/drm/drmP.h
index 4e53f1607355..82963167f161 100644
--- a/include/drm/drmP.h
+++ b/include/drm/drmP.h
@@ -1672,6 +1672,10 @@ void drm_dev_ref(struct drm_device *dev);
 void drm_dev_unref(struct drm_device *dev);
 int drm_dev_register(struct drm_device *dev, unsigned long flags);
 void drm_dev_unregister(struct drm_device *dev);
+
+struct drm_minor *drm_minor_acquire(unsigned int minor_id);
+void drm_minor_release(struct drm_minor *minor);
+
 /*@}*/
 
 /* PCI section */