diff --git a/drivers/scsi/scsi_lib.c b/drivers/scsi/scsi_lib.c
index 4afef5cdcb17568c1380d3987d1e4c4661dc16e4..ce9d73a292e2a0f273992efd56e7cb7370f2bbc0 100644
--- a/drivers/scsi/scsi_lib.c
+++ b/drivers/scsi/scsi_lib.c
@@ -542,10 +542,17 @@ static void scsi_requeue_command(struct request_queue *q, struct scsi_cmnd *cmd)
 
 void scsi_next_command(struct scsi_cmnd *cmd)
 {
-	struct request_queue *q = cmd->device->request_queue;
+	struct scsi_device *sdev = cmd->device;
+	struct request_queue *q = sdev->request_queue;
+
+	/* need to hold a reference on the device before we let go of the cmd */
+	get_device(&sdev->sdev_gendev);
 
 	scsi_put_command(cmd);
 	scsi_run_queue(q);
+
+	/* ok to remove device now */
+	put_device(&sdev->sdev_gendev);
 }
 
 void scsi_run_host_queues(struct Scsi_Host *shost)