diff --git a/net/ax25/af_ax25.c b/net/ax25/af_ax25.c
index 5d05d8dca1687ea094b11c81fd6a95cdaba8b56e..dccfd9c2086f578387c57dca7df94776897f362f 100644
--- a/net/ax25/af_ax25.c
+++ b/net/ax25/af_ax25.c
@@ -80,6 +80,7 @@ static void ax25_kill_by_device(struct net_device *dev)
 {
 	ax25_dev *ax25_dev;
 	ax25_cb *s;
+	struct sock *sk;
 
 	if ((ax25_dev = ax25_dev_ax25dev(dev)) == NULL)
 		return;
@@ -88,13 +89,15 @@ static void ax25_kill_by_device(struct net_device *dev)
 again:
 	ax25_for_each(s, &ax25_list) {
 		if (s->ax25_dev == ax25_dev) {
+			sk = s->sk;
+			sock_hold(sk);
 			spin_unlock_bh(&ax25_list_lock);
-			lock_sock(s->sk);
+			lock_sock(sk);
 			s->ax25_dev = NULL;
-			release_sock(s->sk);
+			release_sock(sk);
 			ax25_disconnect(s, ENETUNREACH);
 			spin_lock_bh(&ax25_list_lock);
-
+			sock_put(sk);
 			/* The entry could have been deleted from the
 			 * list meanwhile and thus the next pointer is
 			 * no longer valid.  Play it safe and restart