diff --git a/drivers/i2c/i2c-core-base.c b/drivers/i2c/i2c-core-base.c
index 26f03a14a478..2d377d2e89f1 100644
--- a/drivers/i2c/i2c-core-base.c
+++ b/drivers/i2c/i2c-core-base.c
@@ -462,6 +462,7 @@ static void i2c_device_shutdown(struct device *dev)
 
 static void i2c_client_dev_release(struct device *dev)
 {
+	i2c_unregister_device(to_i2c_client(dev));
 	kfree(to_i2c_client(dev));
 }
 
@@ -1527,7 +1528,6 @@ void i2c_del_adapter(struct i2c_adapter *adap)
 		dev_dbg(&adap->dev, "Removing %s at 0x%x\n", client->name,
 			client->addr);
 		list_del(&client->detected);
-		i2c_unregister_device(client);
 	}
 	mutex_unlock(&adap->userspace_clients_lock);