diff --git a/crypto/algapi.c b/crypto/algapi.c
index 849254d7e627..f1e6ccaff853 100644
--- a/crypto/algapi.c
+++ b/crypto/algapi.c
@@ -716,17 +716,27 @@ EXPORT_SYMBOL_GPL(crypto_drop_spawn);
 
 static struct crypto_alg *crypto_spawn_alg(struct crypto_spawn *spawn)
 {
-	struct crypto_alg *alg;
+	struct crypto_alg *alg = ERR_PTR(-EAGAIN);
+	struct crypto_alg *target;
+	bool shoot = false;
 
 	down_read(&crypto_alg_sem);
-	alg = spawn->alg;
-	if (!spawn->dead && !crypto_mod_get(alg)) {
-		alg->cra_flags |= CRYPTO_ALG_DYING;
-		alg = NULL;
+	if (!spawn->dead) {
+		alg = spawn->alg;
+		if (!crypto_mod_get(alg)) {
+			target = crypto_alg_get(alg);
+			shoot = true;
+			alg = ERR_PTR(-EAGAIN);
+		}
 	}
 	up_read(&crypto_alg_sem);
 
-	return alg ?: ERR_PTR(-EAGAIN);
+	if (shoot) {
+		crypto_shoot_alg(target);
+		crypto_alg_put(target);
+	}
+
+	return alg;
 }
 
 struct crypto_tfm *crypto_spawn_tfm(struct crypto_spawn *spawn, u32 type,
diff --git a/crypto/api.c b/crypto/api.c
index 7d71a9b10e5f..edcf690800d4 100644
--- a/crypto/api.c
+++ b/crypto/api.c
@@ -333,12 +333,13 @@ static unsigned int crypto_ctxsize(struct crypto_alg *alg, u32 type, u32 mask)
 	return len;
 }
 
-static void crypto_shoot_alg(struct crypto_alg *alg)
+void crypto_shoot_alg(struct crypto_alg *alg)
 {
 	down_write(&crypto_alg_sem);
 	alg->cra_flags |= CRYPTO_ALG_DYING;
 	up_write(&crypto_alg_sem);
 }
+EXPORT_SYMBOL_GPL(crypto_shoot_alg);
 
 struct crypto_tfm *__crypto_alloc_tfm(struct crypto_alg *alg, u32 type,
 				      u32 mask)
diff --git a/crypto/internal.h b/crypto/internal.h
index d5ebc60c5143..ff06a3bd1ca1 100644
--- a/crypto/internal.h
+++ b/crypto/internal.h
@@ -65,6 +65,7 @@ void crypto_alg_tested(const char *name, int err);
 void crypto_remove_spawns(struct crypto_alg *alg, struct list_head *list,
 			  struct crypto_alg *nalg);
 void crypto_remove_final(struct list_head *list);
+void crypto_shoot_alg(struct crypto_alg *alg);
 struct crypto_tfm *__crypto_alloc_tfm(struct crypto_alg *alg, u32 type,
 				      u32 mask);
 void *crypto_create_tfm(struct crypto_alg *alg,