diff --git a/drivers/video/omap2/dss/display.c b/drivers/video/omap2/dss/display.c
index 809676473a99e308349d09622b6b94909054cad9..0daf3e37d5979037812bb6497c6e23a467b2e484 100644
--- a/drivers/video/omap2/dss/display.c
+++ b/drivers/video/omap2/dss/display.c
@@ -158,15 +158,24 @@ void omapdss_unregister_display(struct omap_dss_device *dssdev)
 }
 EXPORT_SYMBOL(omapdss_unregister_display);
 
-void omap_dss_get_device(struct omap_dss_device *dssdev)
+struct omap_dss_device *omap_dss_get_device(struct omap_dss_device *dssdev)
 {
-	get_device(dssdev->dev);
+	if (!try_module_get(dssdev->owner))
+		return NULL;
+
+	if (get_device(dssdev->dev) == NULL) {
+		module_put(dssdev->owner);
+		return NULL;
+	}
+
+	return dssdev;
 }
 EXPORT_SYMBOL(omap_dss_get_device);
 
 void omap_dss_put_device(struct omap_dss_device *dssdev)
 {
 	put_device(dssdev->dev);
+	module_put(dssdev->owner);
 }
 EXPORT_SYMBOL(omap_dss_put_device);
 
diff --git a/include/video/omapdss.h b/include/video/omapdss.h
index d667a4a78a4936c69e04a72389299635d29abc58..80d7eb6358ae546dc0defb54a81b7323960d556f 100644
--- a/include/video/omapdss.h
+++ b/include/video/omapdss.h
@@ -767,7 +767,7 @@ void omap_dss_unregister_driver(struct omap_dss_driver *);
 int omapdss_register_display(struct omap_dss_device *dssdev);
 void omapdss_unregister_display(struct omap_dss_device *dssdev);
 
-void omap_dss_get_device(struct omap_dss_device *dssdev);
+struct omap_dss_device *omap_dss_get_device(struct omap_dss_device *dssdev);
 void omap_dss_put_device(struct omap_dss_device *dssdev);
 #define for_each_dss_dev(d) while ((d = omap_dss_get_next_device(d)) != NULL)
 struct omap_dss_device *omap_dss_get_next_device(struct omap_dss_device *from);