diff --git a/drivers/usb/usb-skeleton.c b/drivers/usb/usb-skeleton.c
index 296b091cf168c7e460ec70db19ac7dcc18a777c1..46929a1b6f24e44ba8566c46d0db993dfd113439 100644
--- a/drivers/usb/usb-skeleton.c
+++ b/drivers/usb/usb-skeleton.c
@@ -90,13 +90,15 @@ static int skel_open(struct inode *inode, struct file *file)
 		goto exit;
 	}
 
+	/* increment our usage count for the device */
+	kref_get(&dev->kref);
+
 	/* prevent the device from being autosuspended */
 	retval = usb_autopm_get_interface(interface);
-	if (retval)
+	if (retval) {
+		kref_put(&dev->kref, skel_delete);
 		goto exit;
-
-	/* increment our usage count for the device */
-	kref_get(&dev->kref);
+	}
 
 	/* save our object in the file's private structure */
 	file->private_data = dev;