diff --git a/drivers/net/wireless/intel/iwlwifi/mvm/mac80211.c b/drivers/net/wireless/intel/iwlwifi/mvm/mac80211.c
index 5648e3751205e8d9962df3343cf91c7a31bf8840..cd710176cea0852a0371dc2d801653f21ad41a77 100644
--- a/drivers/net/wireless/intel/iwlwifi/mvm/mac80211.c
+++ b/drivers/net/wireless/intel/iwlwifi/mvm/mac80211.c
@@ -229,7 +229,11 @@ void iwl_mvm_unref(struct iwl_mvm *mvm, enum iwl_mvm_ref_type ref_type)
 
 	IWL_DEBUG_RPM(mvm, "Leave mvm reference - type %d\n", ref_type);
 	spin_lock_bh(&mvm->refs_lock);
-	WARN_ON(!mvm->refs[ref_type]--);
+	if (WARN_ON(!mvm->refs[ref_type])) {
+		spin_unlock_bh(&mvm->refs_lock);
+		return;
+	}
+	mvm->refs[ref_type]--;
 	spin_unlock_bh(&mvm->refs_lock);
 	iwl_trans_unref(mvm->trans);
 }