diff --git a/drivers/misc/habanalabs/device.c b/drivers/misc/habanalabs/device.c
index a7a4fed4d899..3eeb1920ddb4 100644
--- a/drivers/misc/habanalabs/device.c
+++ b/drivers/misc/habanalabs/device.c
@@ -229,16 +229,16 @@ delete_cdev_device:
 
 static void device_cdev_sysfs_del(struct hl_device *hdev)
 {
-	/* device_release() won't be called so must free devices explicitly */
-	if (!hdev->cdev_sysfs_created) {
-		kfree(hdev->dev_ctrl);
-		kfree(hdev->dev);
-		return;
-	}
+	if (!hdev->cdev_sysfs_created)
+		goto put_devices;
 
 	hl_sysfs_fini(hdev);
 	cdev_device_del(&hdev->cdev_ctrl, hdev->dev_ctrl);
 	cdev_device_del(&hdev->cdev, hdev->dev);
+
+put_devices:
+	put_device(hdev->dev);
+	put_device(hdev->dev_ctrl);
 }
 
 /*
@@ -1285,9 +1285,9 @@ sw_fini:
 early_fini:
 	device_early_fini(hdev);
 free_dev_ctrl:
-	kfree(hdev->dev_ctrl);
+	put_device(hdev->dev_ctrl);
 free_dev:
-	kfree(hdev->dev);
+	put_device(hdev->dev);
 out_disabled:
 	hdev->disabled = true;
 	if (add_cdev_sysfs_on_err)