diff --git a/drivers/net/wwan/wwan_hwsim.c b/drivers/net/wwan/wwan_hwsim.c
index ff09a8cedf93896f7682b92ce7c6eb4bd27febd1..2397a903d8f54df6bef96850fab85eb6dbb24a0c 100644
--- a/drivers/net/wwan/wwan_hwsim.c
+++ b/drivers/net/wwan/wwan_hwsim.c
@@ -311,7 +311,7 @@ static struct wwan_hwsim_dev *wwan_hwsim_dev_new(void)
 	return ERR_PTR(err);
 
 err_free_dev:
-	kfree(dev);
+	put_device(&dev->dev);
 
 	return ERR_PTR(err);
 }