diff --git a/drivers/spi/spi-topcliff-pch.c b/drivers/spi/spi-topcliff-pch.c
index cae2dcefabea..c120436434d0 100644
--- a/drivers/spi/spi-topcliff-pch.c
+++ b/drivers/spi/spi-topcliff-pch.c
@@ -1406,6 +1406,10 @@ static void pch_spi_pd_remove(struct platform_device *plat_dev)
 	dev_dbg(&plat_dev->dev, "%s:[ch%d] irq=%d\n",
 		__func__, plat_dev->id, board_dat->pdev->irq);
 
+	spi_controller_get(data->host);
+
+	spi_unregister_controller(data->host);
+
 	if (use_dma)
 		pch_free_dma_buf(board_dat, data);
 
@@ -1433,7 +1437,8 @@ static void pch_spi_pd_remove(struct platform_device *plat_dev)
 	}
 
 	pci_iounmap(board_dat->pdev, data->io_remap_addr);
-	spi_unregister_controller(data->host);
+
+	spi_controller_put(data->host);
 }
 #ifdef CONFIG_PM
 static int pch_spi_pd_suspend(struct platform_device *pd_dev,