diff --git a/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/ixgbe/ixgbe_main.c b/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/ixgbe/ixgbe_main.c
index 5989b3fa9fdc7432a8a00f4fa58e148935799e74..1f53675a1d6ace5c1676381623bc2958a0c7d517 100644
--- a/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/ixgbe/ixgbe_main.c
+++ b/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/ixgbe/ixgbe_main.c
@@ -7758,6 +7758,8 @@ static pci_ers_result_t ixgbe_io_error_detected(struct pci_dev *pdev,
 		if (vfdev) {
 			e_dev_err("Issuing VFLR to VF %d\n", vf);
 			pci_write_config_dword(vfdev, 0xA8, 0x00008000);
+			/* Free device reference count */
+			pci_dev_put(vfdev);
 		}
 
 		pci_cleanup_aer_uncorrect_error_status(pdev);