diff --git a/drivers/media/video/cx88/cx88-video.c b/drivers/media/video/cx88/cx88-video.c
index 61e03d4703f6184bd0579ec45c0c6902c7aad3a2..be45955dff686ebb38d598c8fb7e86d62ef6ca2f 100644
--- a/drivers/media/video/cx88/cx88-video.c
+++ b/drivers/media/video/cx88/cx88-video.c
@@ -839,6 +839,8 @@ static int video_open(struct inode *inode, struct file *file)
 	}
 	unlock_kernel();
 
+	atomic_inc(&core->users);
+
 	return 0;
 }
 
@@ -926,7 +928,8 @@ static int video_release(struct inode *inode, struct file *file)
 	file->private_data = NULL;
 	kfree(fh);
 
-	cx88_call_i2c_clients (dev->core, TUNER_SET_STANDBY, NULL);
+	if(atomic_dec_and_test(&dev->core->users))
+		cx88_call_i2c_clients (dev->core, TUNER_SET_STANDBY, NULL);
 
 	return 0;
 }
diff --git a/drivers/media/video/cx88/cx88.h b/drivers/media/video/cx88/cx88.h
index 6420fb7615b16a1ce6133760f62bd84ed08c52ff..dce7d36edb426a4d1a462bb5645a60b9c60ff734 100644
--- a/drivers/media/video/cx88/cx88.h
+++ b/drivers/media/video/cx88/cx88.h
@@ -349,6 +349,7 @@ struct cx88_core {
 	struct mutex               lock;
 	/* various v4l controls */
 	u32                        freq;
+	atomic_t		   users;
 
 	/* cx88-video needs to access cx8802 for hybrid tuner pll access. */
 	struct cx8802_dev          *dvbdev;