--- x/drivers/nfc/virtual_ncidev.c
+++ y/drivers/nfc/virtual_ncidev.c
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@
 
 enum virtual_ncidev_mode {
 	virtual_ncidev_enabled,
+	virtual_ncidev_enabling,
 	virtual_ncidev_disabled,
 	virtual_ncidev_disabling,
 };
@@ -128,6 +129,7 @@ static ssize_t virtual_ncidev_write(stru
 
 static int virtual_ncidev_open(struct inode *inode, struct file *file)
 {
+	struct nci_dev *new;
 	int ret = 0;
 
 	mutex_lock(&nci_mutex);
@@ -135,24 +137,27 @@ static int virtual_ncidev_open(struct in
 		mutex_unlock(&nci_mutex);
 		return -EBUSY;
 	}
+	state = virtual_ncidev_enabling;
+	mutex_unlock(&nci_mutex);
 
-	ndev = nci_allocate_device(&virtual_nci_ops, VIRTUAL_NFC_PROTOCOLS,
-				   0, 0);
-	if (!ndev) {
-		mutex_unlock(&nci_mutex);
-		return -ENOMEM;
+	ret = -ENOMEM;
+	new = nci_allocate_device(&virtual_nci_ops, VIRTUAL_NFC_PROTOCOLS, 0, 0);
+	if (new) {
+		ret = nci_register_device(new);
+		if (ret)
+			nci_free_device(new);
 	}
 
-	ret = nci_register_device(ndev);
-	if (ret < 0) {
-		nci_free_device(ndev);
-		mutex_unlock(&nci_mutex);
-		return ret;
+	mutex_lock(&nci_mutex);
+	if (ret)
+		state = virtual_ncidev_disabled;
+	else {
+		ndev = new;
+		state = virtual_ncidev_enabled;
 	}
-	state = virtual_ncidev_enabled;
 	mutex_unlock(&nci_mutex);
 
-	return 0;
+	return ret;
 }
 
 static int virtual_ncidev_close(struct inode *inode, struct file *file)
@@ -167,9 +172,9 @@ static int virtual_ncidev_close(struct i
 		nci_free_device(ndev);
 
 		mutex_lock(&nci_mutex);
+		state = virtual_ncidev_disabled;
 	}
 
-	state = virtual_ncidev_disabled;
 	mutex_unlock(&nci_mutex);
 
 	return 0;