diff --git a/include/sound/soc.h b/include/sound/soc.h
index 1e2be35ed36f..482b4ea87c3c 100644
--- a/include/sound/soc.h
+++ b/include/sound/soc.h
@@ -802,8 +802,13 @@ struct snd_soc_component_driver {
 	int probe_order;
 	int remove_order;
 
-	/* signal if the module handling the component cannot be removed */
-	unsigned int ignore_module_refcount:1;
+	/*
+	 * signal if the module handling the component should not be removed
+	 * if a pcm is open. Setting this would prevent the module
+	 * refcount being incremented in probe() but allow it be incremented
+	 * when a pcm is opened and decremented when it is closed.
+	 */
+	unsigned int module_get_upon_open:1;
 
 	/* bits */
 	unsigned int idle_bias_on:1;
diff --git a/sound/soc/intel/skylake/skl-pcm.c b/sound/soc/intel/skylake/skl-pcm.c
index 57031b6d4d45..9735e2412251 100644
--- a/sound/soc/intel/skylake/skl-pcm.c
+++ b/sound/soc/intel/skylake/skl-pcm.c
@@ -1475,7 +1475,7 @@ static const struct snd_soc_component_driver skl_component  = {
 	.ops		= &skl_platform_ops,
 	.pcm_new	= skl_pcm_new,
 	.pcm_free	= skl_pcm_free,
-	.ignore_module_refcount = 1, /* do not increase the refcount in core */
+	.module_get_upon_open = 1, /* increment refcount when a pcm is opened */
 };
 
 int skl_platform_register(struct device *dev)
diff --git a/sound/soc/soc-core.c b/sound/soc/soc-core.c
index d88757659729..46e3ab0fced4 100644
--- a/sound/soc/soc-core.c
+++ b/sound/soc/soc-core.c
@@ -947,7 +947,7 @@ static void soc_cleanup_component(struct snd_soc_component *component)
 	snd_soc_dapm_free(snd_soc_component_get_dapm(component));
 	soc_cleanup_component_debugfs(component);
 	component->card = NULL;
-	if (!component->driver->ignore_module_refcount)
+	if (!component->driver->module_get_upon_open)
 		module_put(component->dev->driver->owner);
 }
 
@@ -1381,7 +1381,7 @@ static int soc_probe_component(struct snd_soc_card *card,
 		return 0;
 	}
 
-	if (!component->driver->ignore_module_refcount &&
+	if (!component->driver->module_get_upon_open &&
 	    !try_module_get(component->dev->driver->owner))
 		return -ENODEV;