diff --git a/drivers/tty/serial/kgdboc.c b/drivers/tty/serial/kgdboc.c
index 09648d643897..64e3f8cf2f55 100644
--- a/drivers/tty/serial/kgdboc.c
+++ b/drivers/tty/serial/kgdboc.c
@@ -188,6 +188,11 @@ static void cleanup_kgdboc(void)
 
 	kgdboc_unregister_kbd();
 	kgdb_unregister_io_module(&kgdboc_io_ops);
+
+	if (kgdb_tty_driver) {
+		tty_driver_kref_put(kgdb_tty_driver);
+		kgdb_tty_driver = NULL;
+	}
 }
 
 static int configure_kgdboc(void)
@@ -254,6 +259,10 @@ do_register:
 
 noconfig:
 	kgdboc_unregister_kbd();
+	if (kgdb_tty_driver) {
+		tty_driver_kref_put(kgdb_tty_driver);
+		kgdb_tty_driver = NULL;
+	}
 	configured = 0;
 
 	return err;