diff --git a/fs/file_table.c b/fs/file_table.c
index bfab973c6c5ba8ba316302079bfc74911bb1a6b5..01e4c1e8e6b6badc81a659a8616694dc677310a7 100644
--- a/fs/file_table.c
+++ b/fs/file_table.c
@@ -247,8 +247,10 @@ static void __fput(struct file *file)
 		file->f_op->release(inode, file);
 	security_file_free(file);
 	ima_file_free(file);
-	if (unlikely(S_ISCHR(inode->i_mode) && inode->i_cdev != NULL))
+	if (unlikely(S_ISCHR(inode->i_mode) && inode->i_cdev != NULL &&
+		     !(file->f_mode & FMODE_PATH))) {
 		cdev_put(inode->i_cdev);
+	}
 	fops_put(file->f_op);
 	put_pid(file->f_owner.pid);
 	file_sb_list_del(file);