diff --git a/net/sunrpc/rpc_pipe.c b/net/sunrpc/rpc_pipe.c
index 0f08934b2cea..c81ef5e6c981 100644
--- a/net/sunrpc/rpc_pipe.c
+++ b/net/sunrpc/rpc_pipe.c
@@ -1375,6 +1375,7 @@ rpc_gssd_dummy_depopulate(struct dentry *pipe_dentry)
 	struct dentry *clnt_dir = pipe_dentry->d_parent;
 	struct dentry *gssd_dir = clnt_dir->d_parent;
 
+	dget(pipe_dentry);
 	__rpc_rmpipe(d_inode(clnt_dir), pipe_dentry);
 	__rpc_depopulate(clnt_dir, gssd_dummy_info_file, 0, 1);
 	__rpc_depopulate(gssd_dir, gssd_dummy_clnt_dir, 0, 1);